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The public school board in Windsor-Essex says it needs more time to prepare for the switch to online learning, and as a result, the return from spring break is being delayed by a day. In a media release on Wednesday, the Greater Essex County District School Board said instruction will resume on Tuesday, April 20. On Monday, when students were originally slated to return from the break, elementary and secondary school teachers will connect with their students to determine technical needs and access to resources. "They will also provide students with some work for the day they can complete, independently," the board said. If a student needs technology to participate in online learning, parents should contact the school, the board said. Schools are switching to online learning for the second time in recent months. Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the announcement on Monday, saying that the province is at a "critical point." "The situation is changing quickly, and we need to respond," he said. "Right now, I'm extremely concerned about the new variants." There are three schools in the region currently in outbreak, Centennial Central Public School, St. Peter Catholic School and St. John Vianney Catholic School. As of Tuesday more than 400 students and staff were isolating following potential COVID-19 exposures, according to public health.
Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer says he's hopeful the province can offer second doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the general public in late May or early June. "As soon as we have high uptake [of first doses] in all age groups, and as supply allows, we need to start our second doses for [people aged] 18 and over hopefully by the end of May [or] early June," Dr. Saqib Shahab said Tuesday during a COVID-19 news conference. Walk-in clinics opened up to people aged 52 and over — up from 55 — on Wednesday. "We want a high vaccine uptake by the end of May in all persons 18 and over," Dr. Shahab said of the next few weeks, as the age bracket at clinics is expected to be gradually lowered more. Health Minister Paul Merriman, speaking at the same news conference, said he was pleased with the latest statistics on vaccine uptake, including the fact that more than 80 per cent of Saskatchewan residents aged 70 or over have received their first dose. (Government of Saskatchewan) The proportion of health-care workers who have been offered vaccines and accepted them remains low, however, standing at only 68 per cent as of Tuesday. Dr. Shahab had flagged that as a concern — and even as the source of some long-term care home outbreaks — last week. While strongly encouraging everyone to take whatever vaccine they are offered, Merriman said anyone can refuse to take a vaccine if they want to and can be added back in the priority queue at any later date. Merriman added that he has met with union leaders. "They are encouraging their membership to get vaccinated," he said. "So it's coming from the government and the management side of it as well as the union." Vaccine access widening at Saskatoon and other drive-thrus Health officials said last week they hope to provide all Saskatchewan residents aged 18 and over access to their first dose by mid-May. Merriman said that remains the goal, even as he acknowledged recent delays in Moderna vaccine shipments to the province. "That does change things very quickly," Merriman said. "It's very important for everybody to understand that we have ... about a two-to-three-day supply of vaccines on hand. "If there's delays, that causes some problems." In Regina — and Regina only — health officials have operated a drive-thru clinic for residents aged 49 to 54 — a more permissive age bracket than in all other clinics in the province. The drive-thru was launched as Regina experienced a rise in variant of concern cases. Late on Tuesday, the province announced it was further widening the eligible age bracket at the Regina drive-thru to include 48 year olds as well. At other drive-thrus — which have been administering AstraZeneca vaccines that can currently only be given to people aged 55 and older — the eligibility will be changed to cover people aged 52-54 only. This will be made possible by introducing Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines at all current and future drive-thrus, according to a release from the Saskatchewan Health Authority. That change will first take effect at the Saskatoon drive-thru, on Wednesday. A CBC News analysis has found that Saskatchewan would have to significantly increase its daily rate of vaccinations if it hopes to meet its first-dose targets.
Canada's Liberal government will deliver on its promise to spend big when it presents its first budget in two years next week amid a fast-rising third wave of COVID-19 infections and ahead of an election expected in coming months. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has pledged to do "whatever it takes" to support Canadians, and in November promised up to C$100 billion ($79.8 billion) in stimulus over three years to "jump-start" an economic recovery in what is likely to be a crucial year for her party. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals depend on the support of at least one opposition group to pass laws, and senior party members have said an election is likely within months as it seeks a clear majority and a free hand to legislate.
VICTORIA — A charge of assault has been approved against an RCMP officer from Kelowna. The BC Prosecution Service says in a news release the charge was sworn against Const. Siggy Pietrzak on Wednesday. The service says the charge relates to the arrest of a suspected impaired driver in Kelowna in May last year. A news release from Kelowna RCMP says the man was unco-operative with police and arrested for obstructing police, but the actions of one of the officers were later reviewed by an external police agency. The officer remains suspended with pay and his first scheduled court appearance is set for May 3 in Kelowna provincial court. The service says the charge was approved by an experienced Crown attorney with no connection to the officer. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2021. The Canadian Press
Whale researchers and conservationists are urging boaters in the waters off Vancouver to slow down and give adequate space to an injured humpback whale that's been seen in the area. Jessica Scott, a biologist with Ocean Wise Conservation Association, said the whale was spotted three days ago with a deep cut on its tail stock, the muscular part of the tail between the body and the fluke. She said the injury appears to be a strike wound likely caused by a vessel travelling at relatively low speed. The conservation group is reminding boaters to slow to below 7 knots when within 1,000 metres of the animal, and to give it a minimum of 100 metres space. Scott said humpbacks are particularly vulnerable to ship strikes because they exhibit random travel patterns, sometimes remain underwater for more than 15 minutes, and tend to feed at the water's surface. An injury to the tail stock of a humpback whale seen swimming in the waters off Vancouver's west side is noticeable in recent photographs.(Vanessa Prigollini) She said the injured humpback has been seen in the waters off the Point Grey neighbourhood since early April. On April 11, a crew member from a whale watching vessel photographed the animal with a deep laceration behind its dorsal fin. Humpbacks are listed as being "of special concern" under Canada's Species at Risk Act, even as they have made a comeback in the past five decades. Scott said the whale also appears to have scars associated with an entanglement with fishing gear. So far, researchers believe the animal can recover from its injury if people keep their distance. She pointed out boaters need to keep an eye out for signs of whale presence, such as blows, splashes, or aggregations of birds. Scott said the Department of Oceans and Fisheries is monitoring the whale but there are no plans to intervene. She urges people to download the Ocean Wise WhaleReport app to notify the organization of whale sightings, which can then be transmitted to large commercial vessels in the area.
The parents of a Nova Scotia teen with autism who has complex care needs want to know why some families are being told by the Department of Community Services to give up custody of their children in order to get them into group homes. The option is used in only a handful of cases, but can present a devastating choice for those families. "That was the shock of our lives that we would have to potentially give up our parental rights to give our child the care that they needed," the teen's mother said. "We adamantly, adamantly want to participate in his care." The teen's mother says she doesn't believe the Nova Scotia system has the flexibility to support families who have children with high-care needs while retaining their parental rights. The family wants to keep custody of their son, not only because they love him but because they want to continue to be his advocate and be involved in any decision-making while he's in a group home. Because he is a child in the care of the province, neither the teen in this story nor his parents can have their identities published by CBC News. The teen's mother says she doesn't believe the Nova Scotia system has enough flexibility to accommodate families with children with high care needs while retaining their parental rights. (David Laughlin/CBC) The boy's parents say they were able to care for him at home until he was 14, but he became aggressive and would sometimes scratch or hit people. "There's other family members, pets, people in the household, and they weren't necessarily safe," the teen's mother said. There were times when she said her son would run out of the house and into the street unless he was watched constantly. "You're in the kitchen washing dishes, and there's no reasonable way that you can supervise a child that intensely [in order] to keep everybody safe," she said. In September 2020, the family made an agreement with the Department of Community Services to place their son in a group home where he could receive specialized care. However, the parents say they made it clear to department staff they were not prepared to sign away their custodial rights. 3 options According to regulations attached to the province's Child and Family Services Act, families with children who've been diagnosed as having physical or intellectual disabilities that prevent them from living at home may enter into a "special needs agreement" with the department. There are three options under the regulations, according to an emailed statement from the Department of Community Services. "We work with the family throughout this process to determine what type of special needs agreement would be most appropriate," the statement said. "This could mean agreeing to transfer care and custody of the child to the minister, [the family] retaining care and custody of the child while the child is placed in a child-caring program, or receiving supports and services while the child remains home with their family." The statement said the department's goal is always to ensure children and youth are protected and families are supported. "We know children do better if they can stay in a loving home with people they already know, but in some cases, when a child has high-care needs and requires specialized care, a placement may be necessary." The options presented to the family may depend on whether there's a spot open at a licensed facility and what sort of support the parents can continue to offer a child while they're in care, the statement said. Community Services Minister Kelly Regan and her department are responsible for children in group homes if custody is turned over to the province.(Craig Paisley/CBC) The parents of the teen say they feel that provincial staff pressured them to accept the option to give up custody. But the family pushed back until department staff eventually agreed to the option to retain custody, the parents told CBC. The mother says her understanding is that it would be easier for the department to fund the teen's placement if the family turned over custody. Under the regulations, the period of agreement for transferring the care and custody of a child to the Minister of Community Services cannot be longer than one year, although the agreement can be renewed. 'It was mortifying' For a few months after the teen was placed in a group home last September things went well. His parents say he was "thriving" and making friends. But in the last few months the home began to have some challenges getting enough staff to fill all the shifts required to supervise their son, his parents say. Just before the Easter weekend they were told that the boy would have to return home, but the family says they responded that they weren't able to safely take him home with the support they currently have in place. "There's just myself and my husband here. We have another child, and our house isn't a secured facility," his mother said. She said her husband instead volunteered to work at their son's facility to supplement his care. The mother says at that point they again felt pressured to give up custody of their son. "We were at that point again, where they were telling us that we would have to do that potentially to provide him with support," she said. "It was mortifying. Because it's not like we didn't want to [provide support]. We desperately wanted to. We made that abundantly clear." The mother says their son was moved twice in the days around the Easter weekend, and they were not told where he was going. They spent the weekend making repeated calls and sending emails to find out where their son was. They didn't learn of his whereabouts until the Tuesday following the long weekend, according to the family. CBC asked the Department of Community Services for a breakdown on how many special needs agreements have been made in each category and received the following breakdown of current cases: Transfer care and custody to the Minister while placed in a facility: 3. Placed in a facility but custody retained by parents: 2. Services provided in child's home: 654. CBC reached another family with a child with high-needs autism who was also presented with the choice of giving up rights to their child to gain a placement in a group home. In that case, they also did not give up custody of their daughter. Planning for the future The teen's mother acknowledges her son's care needs are complicated; he needs two employees to supervise him at all times. She and her husband worry if their son does not receive intensive care when he's young, he may not develop skills that could help him live more independently later in life. "If your child needed to be on a ventilator and have complex medical issues, physical medical care, they would be in a hospital without question, with specialists and support," she said. "But because it's autism, and it's behavioural, it's viewed very differently." MORE TOP STORIES
Sixteen new cases of COVID-19, affecting two health zones, were reported in New Brunswick on Wednesday. The majority of the new cases are in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, which has 107 of the province's 141 active cases. Eleven of the 14 cases reported in the Edmundston region are contacts of a previously confirmed case and three are under investigation. Three zones — the Campbellton, Bathurst and Miramichi regions — have no active cases. In a news release, Public Health said the 16 new cases break down in this way: Saint John region, Zone 2, two cases: an individual 50-59. This case is travel related. an individual 60-69. This case is a contact of a case. Edmundston region, Zone 4, 14 cases: three people 19 and under an individual 20 to 29 three people 40 to 49 two people 50 to 59 three people 60 to 69 two people 70 to 79 The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,752. Since Tuesday, seven people have recovered for a total of 1,577 recoveries. There have been 33 deaths, and the number of active cases is 141. Nineteen patients are hospitalized, including 13 in an intensive care unit. A total of 270,515 tests have been conducted, including 1,259 since Tuesday's report. There are currently 141 active cases in the province.(CBC News) Public Health tweaks its COVID-19 dashboard Sharp-eyed New Brunswickers may have noticed that some information that was previously posted on the province's COVID-19 dashboard is no longer available. The dashboard, which provides data on COVID-19 cases, testing, vaccines and other related statistics, is a public site that is updated daily. Earlier this week, under its Vaccine Statistics tab, the "Doses administered this week" section was removed. On Wednesday, the "Number of doses received" section, referring to doses delivered to the province, was also removed. Asked about the changes on Wednesday, Public Health spokesperson Shawn Berry explained that the "doses administered this week" section was removed because the data "was sometimes lagging by several days." "Vaccines are being administered in hundreds of locations in the province and the 'administered this week' section is not an accurate reflection," Berry said in an email. "The total number of people vaccinated with at least one dose is still being reported." And while the "doses received" section was removed from the Vaccine Statistics tab, that data "continues to be provided on the Vaccine Timetable graphic," Berry said. The province tweaked its public COVID-19 dashboard this week, removing two sections under the Vaccine Statistics section. In one case, the data was "lagging" and in the other case, the data is provided in another section of the dashboard, Public Health said.(Government of New Brunswick) MLA calls for return of compassionate care exemptions Green MLA Megan Mitton is calling for the return of compassionate care exemptions between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia now that the reopening of the Atlantic bubble has been pushed back. Mitton, who represents the riding of Memramcook-Tantramar on the border with Nova Scotia, made the comments after the Atlantic premiers announced the return of the bubble would be delayed by two weeks. The bubble was supposed to open on April 19 but is now delayed until at least May 3. Mitton said that since January, the province hasn't allowed caregivers to cross the border without going into quarantine, and regardless of the bubble, the premiers should work together to allow crossing the border for compassionate care. "There are people [whose] caregiver may live 20 kilometres away in Amherst," said Mitton. "They live in Sackville and suddenly they lost that care. That was really important to them." Mitton said the province needs to figure out a way to reopen the Atlantic bubble, and keep it open, even with future outbreaks. "We know that that is likely to continue to happen in the future, so they need to have a plan, so that the bubble doesn't burst all the time," said Mitton. Green MLA Megan Mitton is calling for the return of compassionate care exemptions between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia as the reopening of the Atlantic bubble has been pushed back.(CBC News file photo) Mitton said the loss of the bubble has been tough on her constituents, many of whom are accustomed to travelling across the border regularly. "People's families have been impacted ... It's hard on people's day to day lives. So many people, you know, live near the Nova Scotia, New Brunswick border and many cross it daily." Mitton said she's still calling for better communication with residents about the rules and why they're in place. "The rules have changed constantly and it's been really hard on the people who live here and deal with it daily to figure out 'What am I supposed to be doing,'" said Mitton. "There needs to be better communication from government. I've been saying that for a year or so." More possible exposures Saint John region: March 29 and April 1, Guardian Drugs-Herring Cove Pharmacy (924 Rte. 774, Unit 2, Welshpool, Campobello Island) March 31, Service New Brunswick (73 Milltown Blvd., St. Stephen) March 31, Giant Tiger (210 King St., St. Stephen) March 31, Kent Building Supplies (188 King St., St. Stephen) March 31, Carman's Diner (164 King St., St. Stephen) Edmundston region: April 7, 8 and 9, Canada Post (4 Grondin St., Edmundston) April 8 and 9 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Fenêtre Unique (130 Rivière à la Truite Rd., Edmundston) April 8 and 9, National Bank, (111 de l'Église St., Edmundston) April 9 between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 8 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., April 7 between 6:30 a.m and 7:00 a.m., and April 6 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. – Tim Hortons (262 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 between after 6:00 p.m., April 6 after 6:00 p.m. – Epicerie Chez ti-Marc (256 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – Dollarama (787 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – NB Liquor, (575 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – Jean Coutu (177 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Subway (180 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 6 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 26 to April 8 – Napa Auto Parts - (260 Canada St., Edmundston) March 20 to April 9, Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 5 at 11 a.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 1 – Royal Bank (48 Saint-François St., Edmundston) March 31 between 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 30 between 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 29 between 8:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) Moncton region: April 8 between 4:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – COSTCO Wholesale customer service (140 Granite Drive, Moncton) April 6 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. – YMCA Vaughan Harvey, (30 War Veterans Ave., Moncton) April 4 between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Moncton Wesleyan Church (945 St. George Blvd., Moncton) April 3 between 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – Kelseys Original Roadhouse (141 Trinity Dr., Moncton) April 1 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., April 3 between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., April 6 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., April 8 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – CF Champlain (477 Paul St., Dieppe) Fredericton region: March 31 – Murray's Irving Big Stop (198 Beardsley Rd., Beardsley) Saint John region: April 9 between 2:10 p.m. and 2:40 p.m., GAP Factory East Point, (15 Fashion Dr., Saint John) April 9 between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 1:15 p.m. and 2 p.m. – Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, Saint John April 1 between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – YMCA of Greater Saint John (191 Churchill Blvd., Saint John) What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: Fever above 38 C. New cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.
A First Nations chief whose reserve has seen only a tiny fraction of the total tax-sharing revenue in the province says he doesn't feel the system is unfair to his community. Tobique First Nation chief Ross Perley says Premier Blaine Higgs should be applauding Indigenous entrepreneurship rather than ripping up tax-sharing agreements for being "unfair" to some reserves. "The premier and the minister should be proud of their First Nations communities that are successful, not try to oppress them," he said. Higgs said Wednesday on CBC's Information Morning Fredericton that the tax deals were unfair to other First Nations because Madawaska Maliseet First Nation collected 40 per cent of all the revenue in the province last year. Premier Blaine Higgs on Wednesday said a gas-tax-sharing program with First Nations in New Brunswick was creating 'super wealthy' Indigenous communities.(CBC News) He was responding to a question from a listener who asked why he doesn't raise taxes on "super-wealthy" New Brunswickers like the Irving family. "You could apply that logic right here in this situation," Higgs said. "Because this model does create super wealthy [reserves and] that is not shared with the other populations." According to figures from the Finance Department, Tobique had the lowest revenue last year of the 13 First Nations with tax sharing agreements, bringing in only $230,000. But Perley said he doesn't resent Madawaska's runaway success or accept Higgs's use of it as a rationale to terminate the deals. "We applaud communities when they become successful," Perley said. "We don't stomp on them or try to oppress success, because they've planned and invested and become a model for all of us to follow. "It's shameful that the premier had to go there in defence of the Irvings, who are the real super-wealthy family in New Brunswick. We're talking billions." Madawaska Maliseet First Nation's Grey Rock Power Centre has been a successful business venture for the community located next to Edmundston.(Julia Wright / CBC) Madawaska Maliseet First Nation's success has been fuelled largely by the sprawling Grey Rock retail complex located on the Trans-Canada Highway near the main exit to Edmundston. The band brought in $18 million under the tax agreements last year, less than one one-100th of this year's $1.9 billion estimate of Arthur Irving's net worth by Forbes Magazine. Minister distances herself from premier's comments Higgs's aboriginal affairs minister distanced herself from the premier's "super-wealthy" comment Wednesday. Arlene Dunn said she wouldn't use the same terminology to describe the almost $18 million that the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation collected last year. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn on Wednesday said she wouldn't use the same terminology Higgs used to describe the money the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation collected under the agreement last year.(Jacques Poitras/CBC News) "The premier has a historical perspective with these tax arrangements that I don't necessarily have," she told CBC News. "So his perspective is what it is." "I can't speak to his perspective. I know there are disparities in these tax agreements that are weighing heavily on his mind." But she said it's "a valid point" that some Indigenous communities located near major highways have cashed in thanks to the tax deals, while others have not. She referred to the financial figures provided at what she termed "the premier's announcement." 'There's always a better way to do things' Higgs and Dunn shared a podium Tuesday when they said they were giving notice to 13 First Nations bands that they were cancelling the agreements. Some will end next year and others will be terminated in 90 days. Dunn said she regretted how chiefs from those communities learned of the decision: in a conference call with Finance Minister Ernie Steeves in which he read a prepared statement and took no questions. She called the brief call "very abrupt" and "very unfortunate" and said she understood why chiefs were upset by it. "There's always a better way to do things," she said. "I've very sad to learn of that." "She's going down the road of being the worst Indigenous affairs minister in history in New Brunswick..." - Tobique First Nation Chief Ross Perley Perley compared the call to Dunn's earlier refusal to hold a public inquiry into systemic racism following two separate police shooting deaths of two Indigenous people. "This is the same pattern of action that's been happening since they took office. It's crazy that she regrets it, but she did it," Perley said. "She's going down the road of being the worst Indigenous affairs minister in history in New Brunswick, at the rate she's going." The tax agreements have allowed retailers on First Nations reserves to keep 95 percent of provincial tax revenue. Provisions added when they were renewed in 2017 cap that at $8 million. The bands get 70 percent of revenue beyond that. Higgs says that on top of being inequitable between First Nations, the agreements put non-Indigenous business owners near reserves at a competitive disadvantage. But he said the concentration of wealth at Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, which has only two per cent of the Indigenous population in the province, violates the principle of taxation that everyone pays for services available to all. "There are over half of the population, I would say, that do not receive any great benefit from these tax agreements," he said. "This is not shared among First Nations as a collective."
Russia and Ukraine held simultaneous military drills on Wednesday as NATO foreign and defence ministers began emergency discussions on a massing of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. Washington and NATO have been alarmed by the large build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine and in Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and two U.S. warships are due to arrive in the Black Sea this week.
Alberta is to join three other provinces to explore the feasibility of small modular nuclear reactors as a clean energy option. Premier Jason Kenney will join Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs in signing a memorandum of understanding today related to exploring the feasibility of small-scale nuclear technology. The virtual signing ceremony for the agreement is set to take place Wednesday at 10 a.m. MT. In 2019, Ford, Moe and Higgs committed to collaborate on developing small modular reactor technology. The Alberta government announced in August that it would enter into the existing agreement. Alberta hopes to diversify energy sector At the time, Kenney said signing on to the memorandum of understanding would help diversify Alberta's energy sector and keep the province at the forefront of any future advancements in the technology. Kenney said the province hopes the nuclear technology will allow the government to provide power to remote communities, diversify the economy, create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Alberta says small modular reactors could supply non-emitting, low-cost energy for remote areas in the province as well as industries that need steam such as the oilsands. The units are smaller than traditional nuclear reactors with lower upfront capital costs and enhanced safety features. Traditional nuclear reactors used in Canada can typically generate about 800 megawatts of electricity, or about enough to power 600,000 homes at once (assuming one megawatt can power about 750 homes). The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN organization for nuclear co-operation, considers a nuclear reactor to be small if it generates under 300 megawatts. The technology is also small enough that modules can be transported on a truck, ship or train, and has been touted by the federal government as safer than traditional nuclear reactors.
Councillors with the Town of Tecumseh have decided to reconsider allowing cannabis retailers within the municipality. The town's council voted in favour of reconsidering its previous decision to opt out of allowing cannabis retail. The municipality's administration is now expected to bring a report to council by June that will include community feedback. "We never said never," said Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara. McNamara said the retail cannabis industry was fairly new back when his council decided to opt out on Dec. 11, 2018. At the time, he said he didn't know the impact the industry would have. He said he was concerned with loitering, whether increased policing would be needed and whether it would "create havoc" in the community. But based on the rollout across the province, he said none of these issues seem to have come to the forefront. The town is the only municipality in Windsor-Essex that has yet to approve cannabis retailers. On Tuesday evening, Tecumseh councillors heard from three delegates — Sam Katzman, Robert Katzman and Melissa Boow — about the need for cannabis retailers in the area. The Katzmans own and operate Greentown Cannabis and The We Store Cannabis in Windsor. The father-son duo said the stores would bring jobs to the area and noted that they have two locations in mind for Tecumseh retail spots. "It's a fantastic opportunity from all different sides," said Robert. Meanwhile, Boow, who owns House of Hemp Inc. in Tecumseh, said her shop is looking to include cannabis products. While she said she can appreciate the "level of concern and uncertainty surrounding the emerging cannabis industry," she noted that if distribution and regulation remain responsible, the industry can benefit the community. As of Wednedsay, there are 24 retail stores in Windsor-Essex approved and another 27 seeking approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which regulates the industry. Most recently, LaSalle opted in to the budding industry in March.
The Prime Minister says he's supportive of provinces and territories closing their borders in order to protect their residents from the spread of COVID-19. Justin Trudeau's comments to CBC Radio came a day after B.C. Premier John Horgan indicated he is considering restricting travel to and from the province to help stem the third wave of the pandemic. Trudeau, asked Wednesday on CBC's Daybreak South whether he would support such a move by Horgan, said he has already backed similar pandemic travel restrictions elsewhere in the country. "Every step of the way, I've been supporting premiers and territorial leaders on what they need to do to keep people safe," the Prime Minster said. "As we saw with the Atlantic bubble, as we saw with the the Arctic territories, they make decisions around closing off the regions. That is something that we are supportive of." He said the federal government's role is to help make those decisions easier for provinces by providing income assistance and financial supports for businesses. On Tuesday, Horgan told reporters the possibility of travel restrictions will be discussed Wednesday by the provincial cabinet. Those talks will also likely examine the status of bookings for hotels, bed and breakfasts and camping sites. "We've not taken anything off the table, but practicality is first and foremost in our mind," said Horgan. "We will use the tools that are available to us if we believe they are effective, but deployment of those tools is a challenge. We haven't taken travel restrictions off the board, quite frankly." Possible restrictions coming Thursday The premier said Henry will provide any update of possible new restrictions Thursday, during a briefing in which the province's latest COVID-19 modelling data will be presented. Tuesday's announcement was made less than a week after Horgan told CBC's On The Island he had no plans to further restrict travel, at least within B.C. — and that while it was "absolutely outrageous" for people to be travelling between the B.C. mainland and Vancouver Island, and while he did have the power to restrict ferry travel, he was not planning to. "What do we do? Arrest them?" said Horgan about people choosing to vacation while the coronavirus continues to spread. More than 1,500 people have died in B.C. due to COVID-19 and case numbers and hospitalizations have surged in recent weeks. Provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix has warned high occupancy rates are beginning to affect the surgical capacity of local hospitals in some parts of the province. A group of travellers arrive from Quebec en route to Whistler, B.C., on Feb. 28.(Cory Correia/CBC) B.C. health officials are particularly concerned about the P1 variant of the virus, first detected in Brazil. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has confirmed some of those cases can be traced to travelling Canadians. "It was likely that visitors from other parts of Canada initially introduced that strain," said Henry. She also said that some cases have been traced back to people who visited Whistler in February. Vaccines supply and safety As thousands of Canadians across the country wait for their chance to queue up for a vaccine shot, Trudeau said the federal government will have 44 million doses available by Canada Day — enough for everyone to have their first dose. "It depends on what the provinces actually lay out in terms of [a] vaccination schedule, but we're optimistic that we're going to get great numbers vaccinated in the coming weeks and months," he said. Health-care workers administer the COVID-19 vaccination to members of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation on March 25. (Ben Nelms/CBC) Two vaccines — AstraZeneca-Oxford and Johnson & Johnson — have caused concerns after reports of potentially dangerous blood clots in people who received them. The United States has currently hit pause on use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and Trudeau said on Tuesday that Canada is "closely monitoring" that decision. Trudeau told Daybreak South listeners Wednesday it is still much safer to take a vaccine and be protected from COVID-19 then to worry about "extraordinarily rare" side-effects. "We're still encouraging everyone to get whatever vaccine is offered to you," he said. According to the Prime Minister, Canada is currently third among the G20 countries in terms of how many first dose vaccinations have been administered thus far. LISTEN | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to CBC Daybreak South host Chris Walker:
A Bragg Creek, Alta., woman was was surprised to learn a cougar had its eyes on her and her pets after coming home from an errand. Teri Fullerton parked outside of her home west of Calgary, with her Australian shepherd Bisket and her cat Roobin following close behind. After closing the door to her house behind her, she was shocked. "[I] turned around and the cat was staring at me through my kitchen window ... it was a pretty exhilarating experience to see that," said Fullerton on the Calgary Eyeopener Tuesday. "It was very healthy, very big and beautiful and just staring at me in the window." The cougar that hung out on Teri Fullerton's patio ran off after her husband's car drove into the driveway, she says.(Photo by Teri Fullerton ) Fullerton said she is used to encountering wildlife on her property as they live in a wildlife corridor. She said they keep game cameras on their property and have seen a cougar on camera before. "I know there's at least two or three cats that live in a close vicinity of of our house," she said. "But to see it right in front of my face was a completely different story." Fullerton said the cat eventually got up and left when it heard her husband's car in the driveway. Since the cat encounter, Fullerton said she's been a bit more wary of opening her door but she believes the cat was "just curious." Listen to Teri's big cat encounter here:
PARIS (Reuters) -The European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal told Tehran on Wednesday its decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, bringing the fissile material closer to bomb-grade, was contrary to efforts to revive the 2015 accord. But in an apparent signal to Iran's arch-adversary Israel, which Tehran blamed for an explosion at its key nuclear site on Sunday, European powers Germany, France and Britain added that they rejected "all escalatory measures by any actor". Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the incident at Iran's Natanz site, which appeared the latest twist in a long-running covert war.
On the front wall at Good Robot Brewing, one of its cheeky slogans is painted in big, upper case letters: I don't wanna grow up. But over the last few years, the north-end Halifax brewery and beer garden has done just that — it's grown up. However, doing that next to a mosque, a place of prayer and contemplation, has involved growing pains for a business that bills itself as Halifax's most questionable brewery. "It's kind of become part of our mantra here in that we make mistakes a lot, learn to own up to them, and learn to apologize," said Josh Counsil, one of the brewery's co-founders. Good Robot's rocky relations with its neighbour, the Centre for Islamic Development, which houses a private school, a community centre and a mosque, reached a boiling point in 2016. This sign at Good Robot reminds customers to keep the noise down.(Elizabeth Chiu/CBC) Amid Ramadan — Islam's season of reconciliation and forgiveness — the windows in the place of worship were boarded up and sealed to muffle the sounds from loud bar patrons. But noise from a large and lively Pride dance party was the final straw. "The music and glitter bombs and everything were just a bit too much with prayer going on next door, so that was the turning point," said Counsil. The rowdy event led to a bylaw complaint from the Islamic centre, which wanted the brewery's liquor licence revoked. Faced with that possibility, Good Robot management met with the centre's nine directors for five hours to clear the air. They learned the worst offences — noisy, vomiting, and urinating bar patrons — had been spilling over and disrupting their Muslim neighbours. When the centre's complaint became public, it ignited a media storm and drew a backlash of hurtful, Islamophobic, xenophobic, racist messages. Mohamed Yaffa is one of two imams at the Centre for Islamic Development.(Elizabeth Chiu/CBC) Even though Good Robot didn't contribute to the racist trolling, Counsil said the company resolved to be better. "Learn to swallow your pride, and put your ego at bay, and meditate on things where you have done some harm, and see what comes out of it," he said. The promises made during that long meeting with the centre's directors have been maintained to this day, he said. A sign was installed reminding bar patrons "not to scream at the top of your lungs. And be respectful of our neighbours." Staff write down daily prayer times as a reminder of when the music volume is to be turned down. And a few times a day, workers circle the block to clean up any debris and garbage in the area. "A pub is a public house, and if you aren't respectful of your neighbourhood and its surroundings, you aren't really living up to your namesake," he said. Bar staff jot down the daily prayer times at the mosque next door as a reminder to turn down the music volume.(Elizabeth Chiu/CBC) Over the last five years, Good Robot has learned to be a good neighbour. On Instagram this week, the brewery sent good wishes to its Muslim friends at the centre as they begin Ramadan. The post detailed the fateful events of five years ago. Counsil said that turning point helped to steer the company down a path toward equity, diversity and inclusion. The company has made efforts to hire more Blacks and women in the white, male-dominated industry. "This incident, among others, helped to really craft what it is we do and what we want to do in our neighbourhoods," said Counsil. When the faithful gathered on Monday evening to pray and recite scripture to mark the start of Ramadan, it was completely uneventful. "We didn't hear any noise," said Mohamed Yaffa, one of the mosque's imams. "I never actually thought about that. We have neighbours that we used to have clashes with before. So, yeah, it's all good now." MORE TOP STORIES
Toronto police didn't check Bruce McArthur's criminal record in 2013 before or after interviewing him — despite possessing evidence connecting the now-convicted serial killer to three missing men whose disappearances officers were then investigating. That's just one of many serious investigative flaws former judge Gloria Epstein identifies in her independent review of Toronto police's handling of missing-persons cases — including the victims of McArthur — released Tuesday. Epstein argues proper preparation for the McArthur interview, an understanding of his 2003 assault conviction, and his connection to the three missing men should have resulted in greater police scrutiny of his conduct as early as November 2013. He was eventually arrested and charged with murder in January 2018. "Someone with a connection with all three missing persons who had attacked another member of the LGBTQ2S+ communities and been banned from the Village for a period should have undoubtedly have qualified as a person of interest," Epstein wrote, referring to the gay community's downtown neighbourhood. The 1,100-page report marks the first time some of these details — of what police did and knew when — have come to light. The service has previously refused to "dissect the investigation" despite questions about how police handled the investigations into missing men who turned out to be McArthur's victims. Retired judge Gloria Epstein released her final report on Toronto police service's handling of missing-persons cases, including McArthur's victims, on Tuesday.(Submitted by Shelley Colenbrander) "I cannot say that McArthur would necessarily have been apprehended earlier if these investigative steps had been taken," Epstein wrote. "But the Toronto police did lose important opportunities to identify him as the killer." McArthur went on to kill five more men after police first interviewed him as part of Project Houston. In a news conference, acting Toronto police chief James Ramer told reporters Tuesday "the shortcomings [Esptein] identified are inexcusable" and that the service is going to implement her recommendations "as quickly as possible." The 16-minute interview The Project Houston task force was launched in November 2012 to probe the disappearances of Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi and Majeed Kayhan — all of whom were connected to Toronto's Gay Village. Almost a year into that investigation, police discovered McArthur was connected to Navaratnam and Faizi through his online username "silverfoxx51." A detective on the project scheduled an interview in November 2013. But Det.-Const. Joshua McKenzie did not prepare questions, look into McArthur's background or do a Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database search on him before the interview, according to Epstein's report. If he had, McKenzie would have found McArthur's 2003 assault conviction, which Epstein argues could have then been used to obtain the synopsis of the serial killer's unprovoked pipe attack on a gay man in the Village in 2001. Project Houston, a police task force, was created to probe the disappearances of Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi and Majeed Kayhan.() Instead, the interview with McArthur lasted only 16 minutes and McKenzie didn't ask McArthur about his known connection to Faizi after McArthur denied knowing the missing man. McArthur also admitted to having had a sexual relationship with Kayhan — who police had yet to connect to McArthur — but McKenzie didn't ask follow-up questions about the relationship. 'Important fact went unnoticed' After the interview, police had a connection between McArthur and all three missing men. "However, this important fact went unnoticed," wrote Epstein. "McKenzie's summary of the interview failed to include it." In the report, Epstein references and agrees with a summary of the implication of those connections from an unnamed police investigator provided to the review. "[McArthur] would have been the one and only person who was linked to all three disappearances at that point from all the information we had," the investigator said. WATCH | Report 'hard to read,' interim chief says: "He would be on the top of the list of finding out what more is he capable of and what he does. The prime suspect, if you will." Instead, it looks like no supervisor reviewed McKenzie's interview or instructed any follow-up action because of it, according to the report. Epstein said McKenzie was a relatively junior officer at the time and told the review that he did what he was told. Neither the video of the McArthur interview nor the summary McKenzie wrote were added to Toronto police's records system, Versadex, or the major case management system, PowerCase. In her report, Epstein outlines how those omissions had ramifications on how police investigated McArthur when he was arrested, but not charged, for an assault in June 2016. CBC News has previously reported on the attempted choking of a man, in the back of McArthur's van, who was able to escape and called 911. Afterward, McArthur went to the police and said the incident was consensual. He was let go, as police believed his story was credible. Bruce McArthur pleaded guilty to killing these eight men. Top row, from left to right: Skandaraj Navaratnam, Andrew Kinsman, Selim Esen and Abdulbasir Faizi. Bottom row, from left to right: Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, Dean Lisowick, Soroush Mahmudi and Majeed Kayhan.(John Fraser/CBC) The investigator, Sgt. Paul Gauthier, is facing police disciplinary charges in connection with the case. He told the independent review that had he known McArthur had been identified as someone in contact with three missing persons in Project Houston, Gauthier would have contacted officers from the task force before making his decision not to charge McArthur. "[Gauthier] saw this situation as a counterproductive siloing of relevant information. I agree with him," Epstein wrote. However, the report also notes that Gauthier's 2016 investigation failed to turn up McArthur's 2003 assault conviction. By that time, McArthur had received a record suspension from the Parole Board of Canada in connection with that conviction, but that didn't mean police couldn't find a record of the assault. 'Easily discoverable' "We do know this information, which turned out to be relevant, was easily discoverable during Project Prism," Epstein wrote in relation to the task force that looked into the disappearances of Andrew Kinsman and Selim Esen and eventually led to the arrest of McArthur. Without the information on McArthur's pipe assault, Epstein said that investigators in Project Houston and the 2016 choking investigation saw McArthur "as a 64-year-old man with no prior violent history." "What became obvious to me during this Review is that officers have varying (and sometimes inaccurate) understandings of what is available to them on their own databases." McArthur murdered five men — Soroush Mahmudi, Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, Dean Lisowick, Esen and Kinsman — after he was interviewed as part of Project Houston in 2013. Esen and Kinsman were killed after the 2016 attempted choking investigation. McArthur is currently serving a life sentence for the first-degree murder of all eight men. He will be 91 by the time he can apply for parole.
Amidst a backdrop of increased restrictions and cases of COVID-19 variants, the provincial government is optimistic that outdoor festivals and events such as the Calgary Stampede will go ahead this summer. Over 300 members of Alberta's live events industry joined Doug Schweitzer, the minister of jobs, economy and innovation, for a virtual town hall on Tuesday to discuss the outlook for the province's social calendar in the coming months. According to Schweitzer, the Alberta government is heading into its second pandemic summer in consultation with event organizers and stakeholders in the hopes of going ahead with outdoor festivals safely. "When it comes to outdoor events in summer, we want to make sure that we have outdoor events happening in Alberta, people engaging with each other," Schweitzer said. "As we get into May and probably early June, you're going to start to see those health measures continue to be reduced to the point where, the premier's been very clear, he wants us to try and have a Stampede this year." 'Best and safest' Stampede coming in July, officials say On April 6, the Alberta government reintroduced stricter health measures to counter a surge of COVID-19 variant cases. But Kenney said at a press conference on April 10 that once vaccines outstrip the variants, "we absolutely can get back to normal this summer." "I believe we're going to have a Calgary Stampede, we're going to have outdoor events," Kenney said. For its part, Calgary Stampede officials told CBC News in a statement Wednesday that it is planning to go forward. "We are committed to hosting the best and safest Stampede, July 9 to 18, and continue to work with various levels of government and health officials on specific safety measures," the statement said. "We expect to be able to share more details as we get closer to July." The Calgary Folk Fest, pictured here in 2016, is usually held in late July at Prince's Island Park.(Rachel Maclean/CBC) Other stakeholders like Sara Leishman, the executive director of the Calgary Folk Festival, told CBC News they are engaging in "in-depth, ongoing conversations with the city and the province around the ever-changing COVID-19 situation." "We remain cautiously optimistic and adaptable so are in the process of planning ways to safely bring live music back, in a very modified way, to Prince's Island Park this summer," Leishman said. Modelling and consultations Schweitzer said the province is looking to countries that are further along in their vaccination efforts — such as the United States and Israel — to see how their reopenings have unfolded amidst vaccine distribution. That has included their handling of live events and the reopening of sports venues. To make live events happen, Minister Doug Schweitzer says the province is looking to countries that are further along in their vaccination efforts, such as the United States and Israel. (Todd Korol/The Canadian Press) "We're finding the provincial and the municipal governments to be very supportive and very collaborative," Cindy McLeod, the producer and artistic director of the Calgary Blues Festival, told CBC News. "Because we are in the business of presenting large events safely, we're finding that they're not just sending directives, but they're actually asking for suggestions and ideas." 'Safety is uppermost in our minds' Event organizers have created templates for safe events that included protocols such as masking and distancing that were then taken to a medical officer who helped to tweak it, McLeod said. Those templates were presented to the government and Alberta Health Services, who were very receptive, she said. The festival will look different, but ultimately McLeod said the plan is to go ahead with something small that can be ramped up to become larger. "Safety is uppermost in our minds. We are reassured by not just the government — we're also collaborating with medical officers and public health doctors," she said. However, McLeod said that ultimately what happens will hinge on the vaccine. Dr. Jia Hu, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Calgary who presented at the town hall, agreed. Complicating matters further are the variants that are now the dominant strains in Alberta that Schweitzer said made him hesitant to "over-promise" normalcy. And for these same reasons, infectious disease specialist Craig Jenne told CBC News that live events are still not a guarantee. 'Still too early to know' "Unfortunately … it's still too early to know exactly what to expect, and that's because there are a couple things that are still changing that are really going to influence what happens," Jenne said. Vaccine supply and rollout are certainly factors, but according to Jenne, uptake is also becoming an issue. Signs of vaccine hesitancy are increasing. The other side of the equation is the virus itself is changing, Jenne said. The variants have different properties that have to also be taken into account. Still, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, said Tuesday that there is a path forward. "If we have high-enough uptake of vaccines; if we can build a strong-enough wall of protection, and if we are able to turn our cases and our hospitalization numbers down, I believe that it's possible we could have large events this summer," she said.
Max and Katie the Great Danes love corn on the cob, especially with lots of butter and salt. Their owner gives Max (who is deaf) the thumbs up sign, which means good boy!
Lyle Skinner is a constitutional lawyer who specializes in parliamentary law.(CBC) Lyle Skinner, an Ottawa-based constitutional lawyer based who specializes in parliamentary law, has been following Newfoundland and Labrador's election from its start. He says how it ends may depend on whether anyone else wants to join NDP Leader Alison Coffin in taking the election process to court. "This is part of the accountability mechanism. If anybody has any questions on if the election was conducted in a fair manner, then they can go to the court and ask the court to judicate that," Skinner said. Coffin and St. John's resident Whymarrh Whitby jointly filed a court challenge on Monday against Elections NL, arguing that the most recent general election discriminated against voters based on ethnicity, age or disability, while also excluding people without internet access and those in Indigenous communities. The application is separate from a challenge that Coffin filed earlier this month requesting a recount in her former district of St. John's East-Quidi Vidi, where she lost by 53 votes. This challenge is more bold: it asks that the Supreme Court to void last month's election results entirely. The Elections Act holds that a candidate or voter of a particular district can bring forward an application over an irregularity, Skinner said. The application filed on behalf of Coffin and Whitby lists 28 specific "irregularities," including Chief Electoral Officer Bruce Chaulk's hand-delivery of ballots to former PC leader Ches Crosbie and Liberal cabinet minister Siobhan Coady. Voiding election through a single application But Skinner said it appears Coffin's application is attempting to use a Charter of Rights and Freedoms argument to attempt to void all 40 districts through a single application. "Whether or not that will be successful will be for a judge to determine before they would consider the merits of the particular case, as it may be," he said. NDP Leader Alison Coffin and a resident in St. John's jointly filed a court challenge on Monday against Elections NL.(CBC) If the challenge is successful, and all 40 of the province's districts are void, Skinner said a second election will be issued, but it will be different than a regular general election. "The premier at any time can advise the lieutenant governor to dissolve the assembly. So in this case the assembly would still exist, it just wouldn't have any MHAs which from my research would be somewhat unprecedented," he said. If results are void for one district, Skinner added, it could still have a significant impact. A new election would be issued for that district, and if the incumbent is not returned there could be a cabinet shuffle and impacts on voting in certain committees. The possibility that all 40 districts will become void, in turn causing another election, may depend on the number individuals who feel there was an irregularity with this year's election, said Skinner. He said Monday's application may only be the first, and there's a window of two months since the day after a polling day in which people can bring forward their own applications. Balance of power may be affected Elections NL announced the results March 27. Voting had been suspended on the eve of the scheduled Feb. 13 election because of an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus variant B117. Chaulk pushed the province to mail-in ballots, although he adjusted the deadline to participate several times. WATCH | Lawyer Lyle Skinner tells Carolyn Stokes about the implications of a new NDP court challenge: "So it really depends on how many districts are being challenged, and again — even if there's only one or two, that might affect the balance of power," Skinner said. Andrew Furey's Liberals won 22 of the 40 seats in the House of Assembly. The Tories won 13 seats, the NDP won two, and three Independents were elected. "If the government goes into a minority government situation, the premier is within his prerogative to make an appeal to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and advise dissolution and commence an election in that way," Skinner said. "It doesn't have to be through the legal process through all 40 districts. There's also a political constitutional avenue as well." In 1993, the results for the district of Placentia were marked invalid because 55 voters, who didn't have proper documentation with respect to making an oath, totalled more than the 21-vote difference between candidates. Tory Nick Careen defeated Liberal incumbent Bill Hogan in that election. "The court said that when a situation materially affects the results such as that, that no other factors are really considered. It's that the irregularity could potentially affect the outcome," said Skinner. "In that case, because there was no further evidence produced, the results were voided and a second election occurred subsequent." Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
U.S. President Joe Biden says the plan for Afghanistan was always to be 'in together, out together,' but the planned troop withdrawal does not mean the U.S. will take its eye off the terrorist threat.
