With Chris St. Clair.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will leave Washington next Wednesday morning just before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration to begin his post-presidential life in Florida. Refusing to abide by tradition and participate in the ceremonial transfer of power, Trump will instead hold his own departure ceremony at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before his final flight aboard Air Force One. Officials are considering an elaborate send-off event reminiscent of the receptions he's received during state visits abroad, complete with a red carpet, colour guard, military band and even a 21-gun salute, according to a person familiar with the planning who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement. Trump will become only the fourth president in history to boycott his successor's inauguration. And while he has said he is now committed to a peaceful transition of power — after months of trying to delegitimize Biden's victory with baseless allegations of mass voter fraud and spurring on his supporters who stormed the Capitol — he has made clear he has no interest in making a show of it. He has not invited the Bidens to the White House for the traditional bread-breaking, nor has he spoken with Biden by phone. Vice-President Mike Pence has spoken with his successor, Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, calling her on Thursday to congratulate her and offer assistance, according to two people familiar with the call. Pence will be attending Biden's inauguration, a move Biden has welcomed. While Trump spends the final days of his presidency ensconced in the White House, more isolated than ever as he confronts the fallout from the Capitol riot, staffers are already heading out the door. Many have already departed, including those who resigned after the attack, while others have been busy packing up their offices and moving out personal belongings — souvenirs and taxidermy included. On Thursday, chief of staff Mark Meadows’ wife was caught on camera leaving with a dead, stuffed bird. And trade adviser Peter Navarro, who defended the president's effort to overturn the election, was photographed carrying out a giant photo of a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Staff are allowed to purchase the photographs, said White House spokesman Judd Deere.) Also spotted departing the West Wing: a bust of Abraham Lincoln. Stewart D. McLaurin, the president of the White House Historical Association, said he had reached out to the White House chief usher, who manages the building's artifacts with the White House curator, because of questions raised by the images. “Be reminded that staff have items of their own that they brought to the White House and can take those items home as they wish. Some items are on loan to staff and offices from other collections and will be returned to those collections,” he said in a statement. Earlier this week, reporters covering the president's departure from the South Lawn spotted staff taking boxes into the residence for packing up the first family's belongings. And on Friday the packing continued, with moving crates and boxes dotting the floor of the office suite where senior press aides work steps from the Oval Office in the West Wing. Walls in the hallways outside that once featured a rotating gallery of enlarged photographs of the president and first lady framed in gold suddenly were bare, with only the hooks that held the picture frames left hanging. Moving trucks pulled in and out of the driveway outside. While some people have been asked to stick around by the incoming administration, the White House has been reduced to a skeleton crew, with more scheduled to depart on Friday. That includes White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. Come Monday, the press staff will be down to two. Trump will leave Washington with his future deeply uncertain, two weeks after his supporters sent lawmakers and congressional staffers scrambling for safety as they tried to halt the peaceful transition of power. While Trump was once expected to leave office as the most powerful voice in the Republican Party and the leading contender for its 2024 nomination, he has been shunned by much of the party over his response to the violence, which left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer. Trump is expected to be joined in Florida by a handful of aides as he mulls his future. ___ Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report. Jill Colvin And Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
MADRID — The Spanish region of Catalonia is postponing regional elections planned for Feb. 14 until May 30 because of a strong surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. The new date was agreed on by the region’s parliamentary parties Friday and formally announced later by the regional government. It says the change will give authorities more time to bring the virus spread under control and people a better chance to vote. The virus incidence rate in Catalonia on Thursday was at 561 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is high but still below Spain's national average of 575. The region has imposed strict movement restrictions between towns and non-essential stores can only open Monday to Friday. Critics of the date change say pro-independence governing parties in Catalonia hope it might weaken the electoral impact of highly popular Spanish Socialist Health Minister Salvador Illa, who recently announced his candidacy. Polls suggest Illa could upset the balance of power in the region. Separatist parties currently control the Catalan government. The separatist movement, which is supported by roughly half the region's 7.5 million residents, wants to create a republic for the wealthy northeast corner of Spain. The region’s political situation is still heavily dominated by the jailing in 2019 of nine political figures for their role in a secession push two years earlier. Catalonia has been operating without a president since former leader Quim Torra was barred from public office last year for disobeying the country’s electoral law in 2019 — when he displayed banners in a public building calling for the imprisoned separatists to be released. The Associated Press
Belle Phillips is not your ordinary student. The young woman not only decided to make the most out of her education, but also to help other Onkwehón:we students achieve their full potential. She knew that being part of Concordia University’s Indigenous Directions Leadership Council (IDLC) would support her in doing just that. Last fall, the 21-year-old Kahnawa’kehró:non was chosen to fill the only undergraduate seat on the IDLC. When Phillips received the email sent to all Onkwehón:we students, most undergrads would have brushed it off, but the position sparked something in her. “And what’s the worst in trying?” she said. Phillips started her one-year contract in October with IDCL. The organization’s goal is to morph the university into being a more inclusive and respectful environment for all Onkwehón:we. With community member Donna Kahérakwas Goodleaf, Phillips is now part of a proud line of six other Kanien’kehá:ka that previously sat on the council. And it certainly will not end there. She explained that some of her mandate’s responsibilities are to increase community engagement, to bring more support and educate the Concordia community about Onkwehón:we culture, language and issues. It’s all about Indigenizing Concordia. “For me, it means that Indigenous people feel like they have a place in such a big community,” said the second-year student. “There are so many students and groups that sometimes Indigenous students tend to feel like they don’t know where they fit.” Not knowing where to fit is something that Phillips experienced firsthand after she graduated from Kahnawake Survival School as a recipient of the Tionores Muriel Deer scholarship. When she started CEGEP at Champlain College, in St. Lambert, Phillips noticed the lack of representation. “It was me, my brother and his girlfriend and only a few others that represented the Indigenous population,” said Phillips. She said that back then, it felt like Onkwehón:we students weren’t even on the college’s radar. The group wanted more, something that resembled what Onkwehón:we resource centres provided at John Abbott College or Dawson College. They formed the Indigenous Student Ambassadors, to offer support to First Nations students. “Our goal was to decolonize the campus at Champlain,” said Phillips, “and within the first year of forming the group, we even got an official location.” Phillips grew up in Kahnawake and remembers always wanting to be involved with the culture and representation - but didn’t find her footing right away. “After high school, I went into nursing, but turned out I hated it,” said Phillips, who’s now pursuing her BA in Human Relations with a concentration in Community Development and a minor in First People Studies. For the past two years, she’s been working part-time at Tewatohnhi’saktha in Kahnawake as the Youth Programs assistant. The job, in addition to school and being part of IDLC is quite a challenge, acknowledged Phillips. However, she said she’s deeply committed to IDLC and hopes to make a real difference at Concordia. “I want to create a safe space for Indigenous students to be,” said Phillips. “I feel like there’s a taboo around Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education, and I really have an interest in developing courses and classes that incorporate Indigenous ways of learning.” Phillips still has a few semesters to go before graduating and sitting on the IDLC will surely allow her to reach her goals. virginie.ann.news@gmail.comVirginie Ann, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door
La Ville de Mirabel invite les membres de mêmes bulles familiales à profiter des patinoires extérieures installées un peu partout sur le territoire, à la suite de l’annonce du gouvernement du Québec en lien avec de nouvelles mesures mises en place afin de lutter contre la COVID-19. Notons que le gouvernement de François Legault a annoncé, entre autres, un couvre-feu et une interdiction des activités sportives et de loisirs intérieurs du 9 janvier au 8 février. C’est donc dire que la Ville de Mirabel doit freiner toutes activités libres en aréna jusqu’à cette date. D’autres annonces gouvernementales pourraient cependant changer la situation par la suite. Les activités se font donc plus rares pour les Mirabellois ces temps-ci, mais ceux-ci peuvent se déplacer dans les différents parcs du territoire, prendre l’air et patiner jusqu’à 19 h 30, soit une trentaine de minutes précédant le couvre-feu établi à 20 h. Les patineurs devront – comme mentionné plus haut – respecter la consigne en lien aux bulles familiales; aucun rassemblement ni joute de hockey ne sera permis. Quelques consignes à suivre À la demande de la Ville, les patinoires doivent contenir un maximum de personnes; soit vingt pour une patinoire avec bandes et une dizaine pour celles sans bandes. Les chalets seront ouverts aussi du lundi au vendredi, de 15 h à 18 h 30, et la fin de semaine, de 9 h à 18 h 30. À l’intérieur, il faudra préserver une distanciation sociale de deux mètres, porter un masque ou un couvre-visage et s’asseoir où les pastilles le permettent. Le flânage est interdit et cinq personnes, au maximum, seront permises à l’intérieur de tous chalets. Pour connaître la liste des parcs et des activités sur le territoire, il suffit de visiter le site de la Ville de Mirabel, au [www.mirabel.ca]. Nicolas Parent, Initiative de journalisme local, L'Éveil
MOOREFIELD– The Township of Mapleton is putting support behind the Rothsay rendering plant as the company goes through an appeal process relating to expansion. The Rothsay plant in Moorefield processes poultry and pork by-products into finished products for use in pet food and supply feed mills. The townships are sending letters of support but Mapleton mayor Gregg Davidson will be reading a letter at an environmental tribunal. In a phone call, Davidson said the plant, which is located in Mapleton, has not only been an important employer for 50 years but an integral part of the agrifood industry. He explained pork and poultry farming is a major industry in North Wellington County making the Moorefield rendering plant crucial to the area. “You need to have places like (Rothsay) because otherwise those carcasses just get buried on the property or get sent to landfill,” Davidson said. “It’s part of that circular economy and Darling is part of that whole chain.” Plant manager Duff Moore also stressed the plant as an essential service to the food and feed industry “by environmentally sustainable conversion of input by-product materials from food processing into value added proteins and fats in order to keep pace with the growth in poultry as a consumer protein of choice.” Davidson said because the plant is located in Mapleton, the township is going beyond sending a letter and he will be at the tribunal meeting. He said they’re not getting into the technical merit of the ECA but advocating for them on their economic value to the community. Davidson said he doesn’t believe the plant will close if the tribunal doesn’t favour Darling but he’s hopeful success could mean more jobs for the region which Moore backs up. “Indirectly via economic growth as the amended ECA approves additional plant capacity which is critical to the growth of agribusiness in the region and province,” Moore said. “As an essential business this added capacity helps ensure the sustainability of food and feed production in Canada.“ Moore said via email the plant has upgraded its processing equipment which requires a new environmental compliance approval (ECA). “The upgraded processing equipment which has been completed and operational since Nov 2020 serves to increase the throughput rate in order to more efficiently, effectively and sustainably service the consistently growing poultry industry in Ontario,” Moore said. Rothsay’s parent company, Darling Ingredients, is appealing some new conditions, particularly odour emission limits, in the ECA which Moore said aren’t sustainable. “Darling filed a legal appeal to the amended ECA recently issued in an effort to have certain conditions changed to address regulatory and science based inconsistencies that do not appear to provide an environmental benefit,” Moore said. “Not addressing these inconsistencies has the potential to challenge our ability to comply with the ECA.” Moore sent a letter to three Wellington County municipalities – Minto, Wellington North and Mapleton – seeking support for the company as an important employer in the industry. Moore said the plant employs 110 full-time workers who mostly live in the surrounding area. Keegan Kozolanka, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, GuelphToday.com
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped nine of her most trusted allies in the House to argue the case for President Donald Trump’s impeachment. The Democrats, all of whom are lawyers and many of whom have deep experience investigating the president, face the arduous task of convincing skeptical Senate Republicans to convict Trump. A single article of impeachment — for “incitement of insurrection” — was approved by the House on Wednesday, one week after a violent mob of Trump supporters invaded the Capitol. At the time, lawmakers were counting the votes that cemented Trump’s election defeat. As members of the House who were in the Capitol when it was attacked — several hiding under seats as rioters beat on the doors of the chamber — the Democrats are also witnesses to what they charge is a crime. So are the Senate jurors. “This is a case where the jurors were also victims, and so whether it was those who voted in the House last night or those in the Senate who will have to weigh in on this, you don’t have to tell anyone who was in the building twice what it was like to be terrorized,” said California Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of the managers. It is unclear when the trial will start. Pelosi hasn’t yet said when she will send the article of impeachment to the Senate. It could be as soon as next week, on President-elect Joe Biden’s first day in office. The managers plan to argue at trial that Trump incited the riot, delaying the congressional certification of the electoral vote count by inciting an angry mob to harm members of Congress. Some of the rioters were recorded saying they wanted to find Pelosi and Vice-President Mike Pence, who presided over the count. Others had zip ties that could be used as handcuffs hanging on their clothes. “The American people witnessed that,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., one of the managers. “That amounts to high crimes and misdemeanours.” None of the impeachment managers argued the case in Trump’s first impeachment trial last year, when the Senate acquitted the president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice. The House impeached Trump in 2019 after he pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate Biden’s family while withholding military aid to the country. Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette, another manager, says the nine prosecutors plan to present a serious case and “finish the job” that the House started. A look at Pelosi’s prosecution team in Trump’s historic second impeachment: REP. JAMIE RASKIN, MARYLAND Pelosi appointed Raskin, a former constitutional law professor and prominent member of the House Judiciary Committee, as lead manager. In a week of dramatic events and stories, Raskin’s stands out: The day before the Capitol riots, Raskin buried his 25-year-old son, Tommy, after he killed himself on New Year’s Eve. “You would be hard pressed to find a more beloved figure in the Congress” than Raskin, says House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who was the lead manager during Trump’s first trial. He worked closely with Raskin on that impeachment investigation. “I know that part of what gives him strength to take on this burden that he now carries is knowing that this is something that would be enormously meaningful to his son.” REP. DIANA DEGETTE, COLORADO DeGette, who is serving her 13th term representing Denver, is a former civil rights attorney and one of Pelosi’s go-to allies. The speaker picked her to preside over the House during the first impeachment vote in 2019. DeGette said Pelosi trusted her to do it because she is “able to to control the passions on the floor.” She says she was surprised when Pelosi called to offer her the prosecutorial position but quickly accepted. “The monstrosity of this offence is not lost on anybody,” she says. REP. DAVID CICILLINE, RHODE ISLAND Cicilline, the former mayor of Providence and public defender, is in his sixth term in Congress and is a senior member of the Judiciary panel. He was heavily involved in Trump’s first impeachment and was one of three original authors of the article that the House approved on Wednesday. He and California Rep. Ted Lieu began writing the article together, in hiding, as the rioters were still ransacking the Capitol. He tweeted out a draft the next morning, writing that “I have prepared to remove the President from office following yesterday’s attack on the U.S. Capitol.” REP. JOAQUIN CASTRO, TEXAS Castro is a member of the House Intelligence and Foreign Affairs panels, where he has been an outspoken critic of Trump's handling of Russia. He was a litigator in private practice before he was elected to the Texas legislature and came to Congress, where he is in his fifth term. Castro’s twin brother, Julian Castro, is the former mayor of San Antonio and served as former President Barack Obama’s secretary of housing and urban development. Julian Castro ran in the Democratic primary for president last year. REP. ERIC SWALWELL, CALIFORNIA Swalwell also serves on the Intelligence and Judiciary panels and was deeply involved in congressional probes of Trump’s Russian ties. A former prosecutor, he briefly ran for president in 2019. “The case that I think resonates the most with the American people and hopefully the Senate is that our American president incited our fellow citizens to attack our Capitol on a day where we were counting electoral votes, and that this was not a spontaneous call to action by the president at the rally,” Swalwell said. REP. TED LIEU, CALIFORNIA Lieu, who authored the article of impeachment with Cicilline and Raskin, is on the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs panels. The Los Angeles-area lawmaker is a former active-duty officer in the U.S. Air Force and military prosecutor. “We cannot begin to heal the soul of this country without first delivering swift justice to all its enemies — foreign and domestic,” he said. DEL. STACEY PLASKETT, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Because she represents a U.S. territory, not a state, Plaskett does not have voting rights and was not able to cast a vote for impeachment. But she will bring her legal experience as a former district attorney in New York and senior counsel at the Justice Department — and as one of Raskin's former law students. “As an African American, as a woman, seeing individuals storming our most sacred place of democracy, wearing anti-Semitic, racist, neo-Nazi, white supremacy logos on their bodies and wreaking the most vile and hateful things left not just those people of colour who were in the room traumatized, but so many people of colour around this country," she said Friday. REP. JOE NEGUSE, COLORADO Neguse, in his second term, is a rising star in the Democratic caucus who was elected to Pelosi’s leadership team his freshman year in Congress. A former litigator, he sits on the House Judiciary Committee and consulted with Raskin, Cicilline and Lieu as they drafted the article the day of the attack. At 36, he will be the youngest impeachment manager in history, according to his office. “This armed mob did not storm the Capitol on any given day, they did so during the most solemn of proceedings that the United States Congress is engaged in,” Neguse said Thursday. “Clearly the attack was done to stop us from finishing our work.” REP. MADELEINE DEAN, PENNSYLVANIA Like Neguse, Dean was first elected when Democrats recaptured the House in 2018. She is also a member of the House Judiciary Committee, and is a former lawyer and member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She says she hopes the prosecutors can convince the Senate and the American people “to mark this moment" with a conviction. “I think I bring to it just the simple fact that I’m a citizen, that I’m a mom and I’m a grandma," Dean said. "And I want my children, my grandchildren, to remember what we did here.” Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — New NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing has brought entertainer Pitbull on as an ownership partner for an organization making its debut next month at the Daytona 500. Trackhouse made the Friday announcement with a video on Twitter in which the Grammy winner is featured dancing to an “I believe we will win” chant. He also holds signs that say: “Knuckle Up, Fight Hard. Buckle Up. Fight hard." The Cuban-American, known also as “Mr. Worldwide," joins NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan as celebrity owners entering NASCAR this year. Jordan is a part owner of 23XI Racing with Denny Hamlin. “I've been a fan of the NASCAR story since the movie ‘Days of Thunder,’" Pitbull said in a statement. “We are going to show the world NASCAR is not only a sport but a culture.” Pitbull noted the announcement coincided with his 40th birthday on Friday: “So get ready! Dale!” he ended with his signature tagline that translates to “Let's go!” Trackhouse was launched late last year by former driver Justin Marks, who struggled to find a charter that guarantees entry into every Cup Series race on the schedule. He ultimately leased one from Spire Motorsports to get his organization on the grid. The team has hired Daniel Suarez to drive the No. 99 Chevrolet but it will not be NASCAR's first pairing of a Latino driver and team owner. Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombian, drove for Chip Ganassi Racing when it was part owned by Felix Sabates, a Cuban. Suarez is Mexican. Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
Neale Richmond, European Affairs spokesperson for a coalition party, Fine Gael, described the move as an "outrage".View on euronews
Alongside Canada’s national flower, sport, symbol and bird, is a national animal that is often forgotten. Canada’s national horse, Le Cheval Canadien, is in danger of disappearing. An Uxbridge equestrian centre, however, is dedicated to the revival of this special breed. Hundreds of years ago, in about 1665, King Louis XIV of France began shipping mares and stallions, with bloodlines from the King’s Royal Stud, to Acadia and New France. These horses had great abilities to adapt to harsh climates (like Canada’s cold winters), rough terrains and were easily trained. They became known as the Canadian Horse, or Le Cheval Canadien. While the breed was well known to American colonists, it is rather rare today. After being used in the American Civil War and for breeding to diversify genetics in American stock, but its popularity in Canada waned. Despite this, however, and despite the fact that the horse was smaller in size and often thought of as the “Quebec pony,” the Canadian Horse was declared by the Parliament of Canada to be the National Horse of Canada in 1909. In 2018, Barb Malcom, owner and head coach of Churchill Chimes Equestrian Centre on Webb Rd., committed to doing her part to save the Canadian Horse. Alongside her riding school, Malcolm set up a sister company called Donalf Farms, specifically to breed the Canadian horses in an attempt to bring back the name and the breed. “I had worked as a professional for over 20 years and just happened to buy an unpapered Canadian gelding. He is one of the most darling horses I’ve ever had,” says Malcom. Very soon Malcom fell in love with the breed. “They are durable, willing, personable and versatile. I went from being a “crossbreed person” to being completely wowed by this purebred.” “It’s one thing for Canadians not to know Canada has a national horse, but for horse people not to know, it just shows how much the breed is in trouble,” says Malcom. If it weren’t for a pandemic, this year Malcom had plans to contact Heritage Canada and rally for government assistance in the fight for the Canadian Horse. “We would love to see federal support,” says Malcom. “It really is an altruistic endeavour, but they're worth it.” Malcolm dreams of one day having all the horses in her riding school be Canadian Horses. “They are so little known, but absolutely remarkable,” says Malcolm. For more information about the national horse of Canada, visit lechevalcanadien.com or find Malcom’s breeding farm at donalffarms.com Justyne Edgell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Uxbridge Cosmos
Provincial police are urging people not to call 911 with questions about Ontario's stay-at-home order. They say emergency dispatchers have seen an uptick in the number of callers looking for information about the province's latest public health measures. But officers say 911 is only to be used for emergencies. They say those with questions about the public health legislation should seek out information from the province. The stay-at-home order came into effect across Ontario on Thursday, and provincial officials are urging people to only leave their homes for essential trips. Law enforcement officers are able to enforce the order -- which does not give a specific definition for "essential" -- but they cannot conduct random stops to check why people are out. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2021. The Canadian Press
The deer cull at Point Pelee National Park is being cut short due to provincial COVID-19 measures, but Parks Canada says the deer population is still quite high and puts species in the ecosystem at risk. The cull started on Jan. 7 and was expected to run for two weeks, but as of Saturday, the park will resume its regular hours of 7 a.m. to sunset every day for visitors. Director of operations for Caldwell First Nation Nikki van Oirschot says it's not an "ideal decision" and it wasn't made "lightly" but they agreed to do so for everyone's safety. Caldwell First Nation carry out the activity in partnership with Parks Canada. In eight days, they were able to kill 31 deer and now estimate that the population is between 46 and 61, according to an emailed statement from Parks Canada spokesperson Sarah Quinlan Cutler. Yet, because the park ideally supports between 24 and 32 deer, the population threatens some parts of the habitat. "Therefore, the estimated park population size is higher than what the park is able to sustain to maintain healthy vegetation communities and the recovery of species at risk," Cutler said. Parks Canada plans to monitor and "take action to manage the deer population moving forward, in order to protect Point Pelee National Park's ecosystems," she added. But no further details were provided on what these measures may be. Despite this she said Parks Canada and Caldwell First Nation, who carry out the activity, are "pleased with the success of the first week of reduction operations." It was a joint decision to end early as both groups felt it necessary given the rise in COVID-19 cases in the region. Parks Canada said the deer reduction activity is part of other work, including planting native Carolinian species and removing invasive plants in an effort to improve the health of the park. As for whether the groups made this decision to help people let off steam during the stat-at-home order, Cutler says they are open to serving the local community but "advises all visitors to act in accordance with the provincial regulations and restrictions." Under the new order parks are allowed to stay open and people are allowed to step out of their homes for exercise.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, under fire for the massive aid Ottawa has unveiled so far to combat the coronavirus, on Friday told his finance minister to avoid additional permanent spending. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is due to present a budget at some point in the next few months.
CALGARY — Trevali Mining Corp. says it plans to reopen its Caribou Mine near Bathurst, N.B., after idling it 10 months ago amid poor zinc prices, but will operate it with a workforce of about 250, down from about 400 employees and contractors before it was closed. The Vancouver-based miner says it expects to return to mining in early February, with first payable zinc production expected by the end of March. Chief financial officer Brendan Creaney says zinc prices have rebounded from about 82 cents US per pound when mine production stopped to the current level between US$1.20 and US$1.30 and Trevali has contracted about 80 per cent of Caribou's volumes for two years to remove price risk. The company says it has brought in Redpath Mining Inc. as an underground mining contractor and its expertise and supply of larger equipment is expected to allow production to resume at cash flow positive costs of between 84 and 90 cents cents per pound of zinc by 2022. It hopes to produce up to 65 million pounds of payable zinc, 23 million pounds of lead and 650,000 ounces of silver in 2021. Zinc output is expected to rise to as much as 77 million pounds in 2022. It plans capital spending at the mine of $9 million this year and $2 million next year. "Our initial two-year plan includes several enhancements which are designed to improve the mine's economics, including the involvement of a contracted mining operator and the entry into fixed-pricing arrangements for a significant portion of the mine's forecasted production," said Trevali CEO Ricus Grimbeek. "Looking ahead, we will continue to study the potential to extend our initial mine plan, as well as explore further potential in the Bathurst mining camp." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:TV) The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Canada's chief medical officer of health says British Columbia's decision to seek legal advice on limiting travel reinforces the message that it isn't the time to go on vacation across the country. Dr. Theresa Tam says stopping non-essential travel would be a difficult decision for the province, but it could reduce COVID-19 by cutting the number of contacts. Premier John Horgan said Thursday his government was seeking legal advice on whether it can limit interprovincial travel. Other provinces and territories, including those in Atlantic Canada, have required travellers to self-isolate upon arrival or get authorization to travel. Horgan said he and other premiers have made the case for Canadians to stay home during the pandemic, but people continue to travel. The issue has been discussed for months and it's time to determine if the government can act, Horgan added. B.C.'s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said Thursday that she's not sure if she has the authority to limit out-of-province travel nor was she considering such an order. "We do have requirements that people who come in to British Columbia must follow the rules in place here, and that is something that is continuing to be reinforced," she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2021. The Canadian Press
The Severn Sound Environmental Association's (SSEA) increasing funding requests of Tay are not sitting well with a council seeking fiscal responsibility in its upcoming budget. "Our request simply was (for them) to be fiscally responsible like the municipalities that support you are," said Mayor Ted Walker, talking at a Thursday committee meeting about the 59-page explaining the SSEA's position. "But what I'm seeing are projections that are beyond what we can do. "Also, they mention the fact that they pay us $30,000 for our financial services," he continued. "We know that. That should not be included as part of the consideration of tax increase to point out to us. I think that was a little bit unfair, a little bit twisting the knife. I think our response to this should be, we're aware you provide good services, so do we. We would request you use the same fiscal restraints your member municipalities do when setting the budget." The township paid the SSEA $66,000 in 2019, and $108,000 in 2020. The association is requesting $132,000 for 2021, basing the price on core services and special projects. The number also includes funding for services previously provided separately by Sustainable Severn Sound, which has now been absorbed by the SSEA. Coun. Barry Norris echoed the mayor's comments, pointing out the funding request jumped almost $42,000 from 2019 to 2020. "Then we got another 3% this year with no justification. Me being the person I am there are four categories within the report that don't fall under the core. I'm curious who dictates these extras." Coun. Sandy Talbot was ready to deny their request. "They have the monopoly on neighbouring municipalities," she said. "Is there an alternative? If there isn't, they gotcha. I wouldn't give them the amount they're requesting. Everybody is struggling right now. For them to ask for that increase, it's unbelievable." Coun. Mary Warnock wasn't sure how the township could outright deny the increase in funding. "We do share this with the other municipalities," she said. "I know we have an issue with the increases, but how would we address this when this is a shared cost with our neighbouring municipalities? How would we deny the increase?" Walker concurred with his peers. "There really is no avenue for us," he said. "Our residents don't have any avenue either. Maybe where it's going to have to go is simply in relationship to core services. We're going to have to look at those core services and see if there are any cuts that can be made." Joanne Sanders, manager of financial services/treasurer, tried to explain how it all works. "When municipalities sign an agreement, it sets out a board that make decisions," she said. "They adopt the strategic plan that has core services. When we asked the question, what's legislated and what's discretionary? We never get that answer. We get the mandatory things and those are things that the board decided. Council has a rep on the board so it needs to work it's way back to that." Coun. Paul Raymond, who represents Tay on the SSEA board, said he is scheduled for a one-on-one orientation to gather more information to bring back to council. "We've already have one work session on board members and responsibilities," he said. "One thing that came up for discussion was that it was intimated that core services are not a selective process. From the SSEA's point of view, the core services are the core services, and there is no picking what you want." Walker disagreed with that stance. "Whether it's a core services or other services, they need to be reviewed," he said. "This doesn't seem right to me." All committee members asked Raymond to take the matter back to the SSEA to be discussed at a board meeting.Mehreen Shahid, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, OrilliaMatters.com
A cannabis store in Kanesatake went up in flames early last Friday morning, leaving nothing but the container’s carcass behind and a herbal smell lingering in the cold winter air. The Dank Bank, which had opened its door last November 21, was one of the latest additions of smoke shops in the community, located at the edge of Route 344. On January 8, First Nations Paramedics were called at 2:38 a.m. after the Kanesatake Emergency Response (ERU)’s Access Control Team (ACT) noticed smoke coming out of the roof. “There’s no more Dank Bank, no more store,” said the ERU spokesperson Robert Bonspiel. “It was cleared out. It’s a complete loss.” Along with St. Placide and Pointe-Calumet, Oka’s firefighters stayed until 8 a.m. fighting to put the fire down. It was later confirmed by the Surete du Quebec (SQ) that the fire was not criminal. While there was no one on-site when it happened, the director of Oka’s fire department Sylvain Johnson said that they were able to investigate the cause by cameras that were surrounding the shop. “The cause of the fire was electrical,” said Johnson, “so the possibility of a deliberate act was quickly brushed off.” Johnson also mentioned that they were thorough throughout the investigation as molotov cocktails were thrown at one of the Dank Bank’s owner’s car earlier in December. “We wanted to make sure that there was no connection, or that it would not start a small war on the territory,” said Johnson, adding that there has been a lot of competition between cannabis shops. For Mohawk Council of Kanesatake grand chief, Serge Otsi Simon, when it comes to fire in the community, there’s no coincidence. Simon said he doesn’t believe in the electrical cause. In the past 30 years, he said, the community has had more than 10 arsons, with the same number of attempted cases. “Arson has become a trend, an acceptable form of revenge,” said Simon. “It’s an expression of anger. There are homes and shops that people take years to build here, they put all their money into it and because they get into an argument with someone, it goes up in flames.” This incident undeniably goes without reminding of how last year also started for Kanesatake. Sharon Simons’s house was destroyed overnight after a suspicious fire broke out in January 2020. One of the latest also ravaged another person’s house last fall, but this time in the Domaine des Collines - a controversial development area in Oka’s village. However, the SQ and fire department both ruled out this one as suspicious. “If there’s no further investigation, I’m sure that they have their reason for not doing it,” said Bonspiel. virginie.ann.news@gmail.comVirginie Ann, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door
OTTAWA — Emergency spending to deal with the COVID-19 crisis must not outlast the pain it's meant to salve, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has instructed Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in a newly released mandate letter. The letter has Trudeau tell Freeland, who also serves as his deputy prime minister, that she should use "whatever fiscal firepower" is needed over the coming weeks and months until the economy recovers from the pandemic and its related shutdowns. But in doing so, Trudeau writes, Freeland must "avoid creating new permanent spending." He adds that any plan to regrow the economy must be guided by a budgetary goal to make sure spending doesn't go adrift, known in official Ottawa as a "fiscal anchor" that the Liberals have jettisoned as the economy went into a downward spiral. The details are contained in updated mandate letters the Prime Minister's Office published Friday afternoon, months after it reset the parliamentary agenda with a late-September throne speech. In a December interview with The Canadian Press, Trudeau chalked up the delayed released of the ministerial marching orders to ongoing changes to federal programs and plans that meant the letters kept needing revisions. Trudeau said then that at some point, he was just going to have to make them public. In the letters, Trudeau noted the new marching orders come on top of those given to ministers shortly after the Liberals won a minority mandate in the 2019 federal election. The letters touch on a number of subjects, from ordering Justice Minister David Lametti to introduce legislation to address systemic issues in the justice system impacting Indigenous Peoples and Black Canadians, to having Seniors Minister Deb Schulte draft new Criminal Code penalties to elder abuse and neglect. The letter for Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, who was sworn into the new role Tuesday, says Canada-U. S. relations is a top priority. The letters also make repeated references to greening the Canadian economy. The one for Freeland includes an order that she work on a border carbon adjustment that would essentially impose duties on goods from countries that don't have a price on pollution. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is being asked to take action on online hate and extremism in Canada, Health Minister Patty Hajdu to work with provinces on setting national standards for long-term care, and Procurement Minister Anita Anand to get enough COVID-19 vaccines for the country. But it's the government's jump in spending that Trudeau notes in each letter before diving into specifics for each minister. Unprecedented spending on pandemic aid has rocketed the deficit to an expected $381.6 billion this fiscal year, but the Finance Department has warned it could close in on $400 billion due to the return of widespread lockdowns. TD Economics, in an end-of-week note, said the economy has entered 2021 on wobbly footing and could suffer a small contraction in the first quarter, even if the ramp up in vaccinations offers hope of a rebound in the second half of the year. When that happens, the Liberals have promised to spend up to $100 billion on a recovery package that is on Freeland's to-do list, along with preserving the country's "fiscal advantage." "The government has significantly increased spending during the pandemic in order to achieve our most pressing priority: to help protect Canadians' health and financial security," Trudeau wrote. "Going forward, we must preserve Canada’s fiscal advantage and continue to be guided by values of sustainability and prudence. Therefore, our actions must focus on creating new jobs and supporting the middle class to preserve the strength of our economy." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2021. Jordan Press, The Canadian Press
Santé Canada a approuvé le traitement d'entretien ONUREG de Bristol Myers Squibb Canada qui vise les patients en rémission d'une leucémie myéloïde aiguë. Il s'agit d'une première au pays pour ce type de traitement. ONUREG est un inhibiteur métabolique nucléosidique à prise orale qui agit en empêchant la croissance des cellules cancéreuses. Il s'incorpore dans les éléments constitutifs des cellules, interférant avec la production de nouvel ADN et de nouvel ARN. Ce mécanisme entraînerait la mort des cellules cancéreuses dans les cas de leucémie. Celui-ci peut être utilisé par des patients qui ont obtenu une rémission complète ou une rémission complète avec rétablissement hématologique incomplet après un traitement d'induction avec ou sans traitement de consolidation et qui ne sont pas admissibles à une greffe de cellules souches hématopoïétiques. «Bien que la majorité des patients atteints de leucémie myéloïde aiguë obtiennent une rémission complète avec une chimiothérapie intensive, de nombreux patients en rémission connaîtront une récidive de la maladie, surtout s'ils n'étaient pas éligibles à une greffe de cellules souches», a précisé le Dr Andre Schuh du Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, par voie de communiqué. Par ailleurs, la leucémie myéloïde aiguë est la forme la plus courante de leucémie aiguë chez l'adulte. On estime que 40 à 60 % des patients âgés de 60 ans et plus et que 60 à 80 % des patients âgés de moins de 60 ans obtiendront une rémission complète après une chimiothérapie d'induction. Toutefois, 50 % d'entre eux connaîtront une récidive dans l'année qui suit. En cas de récidive, la survie à long terme est de six mois en moyenne. Les résultats de l'étude d'approbation ont montré que la survie globale médiane était significativement plus longue avec ONUREG en comparaison avec le placebo.Nicholas Pereira, Initiative de journalisme local, Courrier Laval
VANCOUVER — A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has ruled that businessman Frank Giustra's lawsuit against Twitter Inc. over alleged "false and defamatory" tweets can proceed in the province. Giustra, the founder of Lionsgate Entertainment and CEO of the Fiore Group of Companies, filed a civil lawsuit in April 2019 alleging that Twitter published defamatory tweets about him and neglected or refused to remove many of the posts despite his repeated requests. Giustra says in a statement of claim that he sits on the Clinton Foundation board and the tweets escalated during the 2016 U.S. election, accusing him of being involved in "Pizzagate,'' a debunked child sex-trafficking conspiracy theory. Twitter filed an application in June 2019 asking the B.C. court to dismiss or stay Giustra's lawsuit or decline its jurisdiction in favour of the courts in California, where the company is headquartered. Justice Elliott Myers says in a decision posted online Friday that the court does have jurisdiction because Giustra has close ties to B.C. and tweets were published in the province and refer to B.C. None of the allegations has been proven in court and Twitter declined to comment on the ruling, which only concerns jurisdiction and does not assess the merits of the civil claim. Giustra says in a statement he hopes the lawsuit helps raise awareness of the real harm to society if social media platforms are not held responsible for the content published on their sites. "I believe that words do matter, and recent events have demonstrated that hate speech can incite violence with deadly consequences," he says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2021. The Canadian Press
Fear that the winter would bring a rash of renters being kicked out of their homes has abated with the provincial government’s decision to pause residential evictions. The emergency order to temporarily stop the enforcement of evictions was announced Thursday at the start of a provincial stay-at-home-order. It is meant to ensure people are not forced to leave their homes during the current state of emergency related to the persistent pandemic, unless there’s been illegal activity. “We’ve been calling for an eviction moratorium beyond just the enforcement for the duration of the pandemic,” said Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario spokesperson Bahar Shadpour. Housing is the primary defence against the spread of the virus, she said. “We’re definitely glad to see that there has been movement on this," said Shadpour. A ban on evictions introduced early on during the pandemic was lifted in August and in the following months, Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board resumed its operations in a virtual capacity. As it worked toward dealing with a backlog, there were concerns that many people would be forced out of their homes in the winter. Thursday’s order is not an outright ban. The Landlord and Tenant Board will continue to hear eviction applications and issue orders, but those orders won’t be enforced while the emergency order remains in place. The exception is in urgent situations, such as illegal activity. Enforcement can resume once the emergency order is lifted, and that could result in pressure on the local sheriff’s office to enforce the evictions. “When the 'pause' in enforcement of eviction orders is lifted, landlords may well find a delay in their ability to effect enforcement of eviction orders that have been made,” said Michael Hefferon, executive director of the Community Legal Clinic – Simcoe, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, which helps tenants experiencing housing issues. The resulting delays in evictions will also put pressure on landlords in the Barrie area and Simcoe County, where rental housing is predominantly provided in non-purpose-built housing, such as condos and homes converted into apartments. That’s something Lisa Fox feared would happen. As a small landlord, she dispatched a letter to Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday urging him against stopping evictions. She had earlier protested in front of Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop’s Midland office. Fox and her husband are small landlords who purchased a four-plex in Orillia to help with retirement in the absence of pensions. But one tenant stopped paying rent in August and another stopped in October. The accumulating rental arrears now exceeds $15,000, said Fox, adding that she’s had to rely on a line of credit to pay the bills. Her applications to the Landlord Tenant Board have not been addressed, as the board deals with a pre-existing backlog compounded by its closure during the early part of the pandemic. “While the LTB (Landlord and Tenant Board) is still hearing cases, this 'perceived' good-news, bad-news scenario does not help the small landlords who are going bankrupt as they continue to house the freeloading professional tenant who knows the loopholes in our broken LTB system,” said Fox. “People are just not aware of how massive this issue actually is," she added. "For every diligent irresponsible tenant out there squatting, there is another responsible tenant who can’t find a home to live in.” Shadpour, from the tenants group, said there was a dramatic increase in the number of evictions ordered for the Central Ontario region, which includes Barrie, after board hearing resumed. In November, there were 764 cases, double the 376 cases heard in November 2019. Although, the pace slowed in December with 416 cases heard, above the 358 cases in December 2019. “Rents are so high that if they’re evicted, it is really difficult for them to find stable and secure housing,” Shadpour said. “Because of the current situation that we’re in, for both public health and safety of tenants and their family we’ve been calling for an eviction moratorium so that we can weather the storm and everyone has a place to shelter in.”Marg. Bruineman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, barrietoday.com
