Twitter has a ball as MS Dhoni turns 39

·3 min read

As Mahendra Singh Dhoni turns 39, netizens have set Twitter ablaze by pouring in wishes. Here are some of the prominent tweets:

Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni poses during the launch of his signature collection limited edition Panerai watches in Mumbai on November 27, 2019. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP) (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)
Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni poses during the launch of his signature collection limited edition Panerai watches in Mumbai on November 27, 2019. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP) (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

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  • Trump's Mar-a-Lago warned over coronavirus mask violations

    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club's failure to enforce Palm Beach County's mask ordinance at its New Year's Eve bash has resulted in a warning but no fine or other punishment. The county sent a letter to the club's manager, Bernd Lembcke, on Wednesday telling him that future violations of the county's coronavirus ordinance could result in fines of up to $15,000 per violation. Video of the party shows that few of the 500 guests wore masks as they crowded the dance floor while rapper Vanilla Ice, Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love and singer Taylor Dayne performed. Todd Bonlarron, the county’s assistant administrator, said in the letter that while the club may have passed out masks to its guests, “there was a breakdown in enforcement of the mask orders that led to almost the entire room of guests being without masks.” He wrote that he is encouraged that Lembcke promised to enforce the ordinance going forward. “Your acknowledgement and commitment to enforce these laws was evident in our visit,” he wrote. Palm Beach County has been hard hit by the virus, with more than 90,000 cases reported and nearly 2,000 deaths. It has a population of 1.5 million. Lembcke and the Trump Organization did not respond to calls Thursday seeking comment. Democratic State Rep. Omari Hardy, who filed the complaint with the county, did not immediately return a call Thursday seeking comment. Hardy, who represents a district near Mar-a-Lago, said last week that he finds it “offensive and disrespectful” that “these out-of-towners for one night couldn’t wear a mask.” He said they endangered the club’s staff and the community. Trump had been scheduled to attend the $1,000 per ticket party, but he left Mar-a-Lago a few hours before it began as he spent that weekend trying to overturn his election defeat to President-elect Joe Biden. His sons Don Jr. and Eric attended, along with his attorney Rudy Giuliani, Fox News host Judge Jeanine Pirro and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who is one of the president’s staunchest supporters. “This is amazing. Vanilla Ice is playing the Mar-a-Lago New Years Eve party. As a child of the 90s you can’t fathom how awesome that is,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote on a Facebook post that included a video of the party. The video showed tightly packed attendees bouncing and singing along as the rapper performed his decades-old hit, “Ice Ice Baby.” Last month, a Mar-a-Lago neighbour filed a complaint with the Town of Palm Beach challenging Trump’s possible move to the resort after he leaves office on Wednesday. When the town agreed in 1993 to convert the private residence into a club, his attorney said he would no longer live there. The town has said it will consider the complaint if Trump moves to the resort, which he made his official residence in 2019. Terry Spencer, The Associated Press

  • The latest COVID-19 developments in Canada

    The latest COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern): 10:30 a.m. The province of Ontario says there are 3,326 new cases of COVID-19 in the province and 62 more deaths linked to the virus. Health Minister Christine Elliott says 968 of those new cases are in Toronto, 572 in Peel Region and 357 in York Region. Vaccinations continue across Ontario with 14,237 doses administered since Wednesday's update. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Greek police clash with protesters over campus police plan

    ATHENS, Greece — Police have used tear gas to disperse crowds at a rally in Athens organized to protest plans to set up a state security division at university campuses. Mass gatherings are banned under current lockdown rules imposed because of the pandemic, but members and supporters of student and left-wing groups joined a rally Thursday near parliament in central Athens. Greece’s centre-right government scrapped a decades-old ban on police entering university grounds, arguing the measure had been frequently exploited to organize violent protests and even criminal activity. The government plans to set up a campus police division and limit entrance to university grounds to students, academic staff, employees and guests. Under the proposed changes, university entrance requirements will also be amended and time limits will be set for the completion of degree courses. Free access to university areas is seen by many Greeks as an important source of political dissent and which allowed resistance to be developed against authoritarian regimes in the past. The main left-wing opposition party, Syriza, is backing the education protests and has described the proposed reforms as undemocratic and aimed at making universities “sterile and unfree.” The Associated Press

  • Toronto's young entrepreneurs face pressure to adapt — or fold — as second stay-at-home order begins

    Asha Allen-Silverstein vividly remembers the sense of sadness and dread that came over her one day last March, as she closed up after a makeup workshop in The Beauty Collective’s space at 991 Queen St. E. The 15-year industry veteran had only opened the store the previous November, but had no idea when she’d be back. The next day, a provincial state of emergency was declared and the COVID-19 pandemic response had begun. “It was almost like an abyss of not knowing when and how you could reopen,” she recalled in a recent video interview from the shop, where 10 months later, she mostly researches and applies for grants, loans and rent relief to keep afloat while waiting for a time when full service can resume. It hasn’t ever really gotten much clearer, but the business is still standing, which Allen-Silverstein credits to sharing fixed costs among a five-person collective and accessing federal commercial rent relief and grants such as property tax and electricity rebates. But she still wrestles with the decision to keep going. “Some days it's like, ‘Do we just keep the concept, stay in touch with our client base, and open up somewhere new at some point?’” she said. “It’s a hard thing, especially when you just don’t know how long this is going to go on.” From one end of Toronto’s usually bustling Queen Street to the other, the thousands of small businesses that populate local economic zones have, by and large, had a rough go of it throughout 2020. Half of Canada’s restaurants risk closing within six months, according to survey results published by Restaurants Canada earlier in December. In Ontario, the provincial government’s decision to expand restrictions last month means more than a third of businesses won’t survive, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which wants the province to immediately top up federal rent and wage subsidies to cover 100 per cent of those costs for businesses in lockdown zones and provide more funding for announced rebate programs. Almost three-quarters of the several hundred small businesses in Toronto, Ottawa, and Guelph who responded to a Danforth BIA-led survey last summer said they couldn’t pay all of June’s rent, up from 63 percent in May and half of respondents in April. And with COVID-19 cases spiking ever higher and Premier Doug Ford announcing a new state of emergency on Tuesday, more than five months after lifting the first one, the chances of survival for those already falling behind on rent are getting even slimmer, their backers warn. “(The year) 2020 for me is tears,” said Robert Sysak, adding the scale of collapsed local businesses so far is the worst he has seen in 12 years as executive director of the West Queen West BIA. “I've never heard so many people cry.” “(The year) 2020 was quite devastating and depressing, and truth be told, I don't think the worst has happened yet,” said Sysak, whose BIA in the art and design district has more than 400 members, including building owners and landlords as well as about 160 businesses. Sysak said he counted 26 storefronts either vacant or with new tenants on a recent walk around his precinct, one of 84 in a city initiative to boost local shops and services. But public health measures to fight COVID-19 and government efforts at pandemic support have affected Toronto storefronts differently for various reasons, including the type of business and age of the owner, according to Sysak and the heads of other local business associations. “I honestly think the younger folks were able to pivot a lot easier than some of our older restaurants or other things,” Sysak said, while also noting younger entrepreneurs are finding it easier to walk away. “When you're younger, you have more time, you can still succeed at doing something else,” Sysak said. “But if you've been doing something for 40 years and you’re in your 60s or 50s, late 50s, you probably think, ‘OK, if I leave this, what do I do again?’” Dominic Cobran also says the younger owners among the 200-odd members of the Leslieville BIA (including Allen-Silverstein and The Beauty Collective) have, on the whole, found it easier to adjust to the changed circumstances of a mostly digital world. “Since the pandemic has happened, I've seen a lot of cases where the businesses that are owned by young people have fully made a switch to digital,” he said. Cobran said he has seen six or seven businesses close since COVID-19 hit, including a couple shut out by landlords early in the pandemic before government rent relief was on offer. “We have certainly not seen the amount of closures I anticipated,” he said. “I was working with the pulse, what was on the ground, so I was engaged with my businesses a lot, and for the most part I was hearing, ‘I don't think I can make it. I don't think I can make it.’ And for the most part, many of them are still standing,” he said. Sysak from West Queen West says that's mostly thanks to government support and their dedication to a life choice. “I do think there are a lot of businesses still there because these are their dreams and their passions, and they’re hanging on,” he said. For Allen-Silverstein, the future could involve either outcome. She’s not always sure it’s worthwhile to keep going, but has invested a lot — “mostly sweat equity,” she says — into the venture and says with some capital assistance she could produce high-quality online lessons and course content or work with chemist friends to create her own products. She’s currently awaiting word on how to apply for a provincial grant of between $10,000 and $20,000 that was announced in December and is said to be coming in mid-January. “There’s a lot of things, if you’re creative, that could just be absolutely online-only sales,” she said. “It could be like opening another branch of our business so we’re not just service-based. “It's kind of a hard time to ask people to pivot into something new when you really don't have the means to do so,” she noted.Alastair Sharp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, National Observer

  • Ottawa pledges financial aid to Juno Beach museum battered by COVID-19 pandemic

    OTTAWA — The federal government is promising to provide financial aid to Canada's only Second World War museum in Europe, which has been battered by COVID-19. Following months of discussions, Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced on Thursday that Ottawa will provide up to $500,000 over the next two years to cover some of the Juno Beach Centre's expenses and help it weather the pandemic. The commitment is on top of the $500,000 that Ottawa already provides each year to the privately run museum, which was built in 2003 on the beach where Canadians went ashore on D-Day. "The role that Canadians played — at Juno Beach, through Normandy and across Europe during the Second World War — is a vitally important part of our history," MacAulay said in a statement. "I've seen the great work that the Juno Beach Centre does in passing on the stories of those who fought and died, and I’m glad that we’re able to provide them with the support they need to make it through this pandemic.” The Juno Beach Centre, which has increasingly relied on ticket revenue and gift shop sales to make ends meet, was already facing financial pressures before the pandemic. That was because Walmart cancelled a longtime sponsorship and the federal government's annual contribution has remained unchanged since the museum opened, even as costs had grown over the years. The museum did get a boost in 2019 as Canadians marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day, when thousands of Canadian soldiers went ashore with their British and American allies on June 6, 1944, to begin liberating Europe from Nazi Germany. Museum officials had hoped for an influx of visitors in 2020 as the world marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, but that was before COVID-19 killed international travel and forced the centre to close for months. Juno Beach Centre Association president Don Cooper welcomed the federal assistance, saying in a statement that the loss of visitors "has strained our budget significantly." "We have been communicating with the minister's office regularly and they have been very responsive to our current challenges," Cooper added. "The funding announced today is a demonstration of our shared commitment to commemorating the men and women who served Canada during the Second World War." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2020. Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

  • Letlow's widow enters race for Louisiana congressional seat

    BATON ROUGE, La. — The widow of Republican U.S. Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, who died from complications related to COVID-19 before he could take office, declared Thursday that she is entering the race to fill the Louisiana congressional vacancy left by her husband's death. Julia Barnhill Letlow, a Republican who lives in Richland Parish, announced her campaign launch in a statement and a radio interview ahead of next week's candidate signup period for the March 20 election for the 5th District seat representing central and northeastern Louisiana. “Everything in my life and in my marriage has prepared me for this moment. My motivation is the passion Luke and I both shared: to better this region that we called home and to leave it a better place for our children and future generations," she said in the statement. She added: “I am running to continue the mission Luke started -- to stand up for our Christian values, to fight for our rural agricultural communities and to deliver real results to move our state forward.” Her husband died Dec. 29 at the age of 41 only days before he was scheduled to be sworn into office, cutting short what appeared to be a promising political future and leaving behind a family that includes two young children. Republican backers encouraged Julia Letlow to run for the position, and she appears to be lining up the support that had previously gone to Luke Letlow. Julia Letlow, who has a Ph.D. in communication, works at the University of Louisiana at Monroe as top assistant to the president for external affairs and community outreach, among several jobs she's held in higher education. She's worked on political campaigns in north Louisiana and was an active participant in her husband's campaign, but she's a newcomer to running for office herself. “During Luke’s campaign for Congress last year, Luke and I travelled to every corner of Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District — from Bastrop to Bunkie to Bogalusa — and all points between," Julia Letlow said. “I met many of the hardworking people of the district and listened to the dreams and ideas they have for our district.” Luke Letlow, who had no known underlying health conditions that put him at greater risk of death from COVID-19, had been elected in a December runoff election. He was going to fill the seat vacated by his boss, Republican Ralph Abraham. He had been Abraham’s chief of staff and ran with Abraham’s backing for the job. At least two other candidates who ran for the seat in last year's election have announced they intend to compete for the job again: Sandra “Candy” Christophe, an Alexandria Democrat who finished third in the race, and Allen Guillory, an Opelousas Republican. The candidate qualifying period runs from Jan. 20 through 22. After her announcement Thursday, Julia Letlow quickly picked up an endorsement from Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, of Jefferson Parish, a top-ranking House Republican who announced his backing on Twitter. He described Luke Letlow's death as “nothing short of devastating.” “Julia shares the same commitment to public service and I can’t think of anyone better to carry on Luke’s legacy in representing Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District,” Scalise wrote. Louisiana's March 20 election will have two congressional races on the ballot. In addition to the 5th District competition, voters will be choosing someone to fill the New Orleans-based 2nd District seat after Democrat Cedric Richmond left the job to work for President-elect Joe Biden’s administration. If no candidate tops 50% of the vote in the elections, the races will move to April 24 runoffs. ___ Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte. Melinda Deslatte, The Associated Press

  • Tintin comic book art breaks auction record at $3.1 million

    PARIS — A Tintin drawing by the Belgian artist Herge sold Thursday in Paris for 2.6 million euros ($3.1 million), breaking the record for the most expensive comic book art in history. The 1936 work in Chinese ink, gouache and watercolour was destined as a cover for “The Blue Lotus,” the fifth volume of the adventures of Tintin, a young reporter created by Herge. The work features a red dragon on a black background by the frightened character's face. It never graced store shelves because it was deemed too expensive to reproduce on a wide scale, a victim of the artist's craftsmanship. In “Blue Lotus,” Tintin travels to China during the 1931 Japanese invasion with his dog, Snowy, to investigate and expose Japanese spy networks, drug-smuggling rings and other crimes. The record price set at Thursday's sale organized by the Artcurial auction house did not include auction fees. Work by Hergé, whose real name was Georges Remi, previously set the record for the most expensive pieces of comic book art with the front pages of Tintin comic books that also sold for 2.6 million euros, including auction fees. The Associated Press

  • Donald Trump gets impeached again and other headlines in Washington

    Global News Washington bureau chief Jackson Proskow provides an update on the Trump impeachment process as the U.S. awaits the Senate trial and Inauguration Day.

  • Stay-at-home order in effect, but questions about enforcement linger

    A stay-at-home order is now in effect in Ontario, but it's not yet clear how officials in Ottawa will enforce it. The Ontario government released the order itself on Wednesday evening, about five hours before it took effect at 12:01 a.m. Municipalities and police services have been waiting to review that regulation since the province announced this new measure to curb what it called dangerous, increased spread of the coronavirus. Neither the City of Ottawa, which employs bylaw officers and operates many outdoor recreation facilities, nor Ottawa police would comment Wednesday on circumstances under which they might intervene or ticket residents. Each said they wanted to see and review the new regulation first. Pandemic enforcement so far Since last spring, City of Ottawa bylaw officers have taken the lead on enforcing most rules. Those include earlier orders under Ontario's Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, such as limits on the sizes of gatherings, and local requirements to wear masks. The bylaw department has received more than 13,800 calls for service since the pandemic began, but has issued only 350 tickets, according to director Roger Chapman. More than 900 of those calls have come during the latest Ontario lockdown. Of the 30 charges laid since Boxing Day, most have been $880 fines for illegal social gatherings and businesses being open when they're not allowed. "We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone," said Chapman in a statement. "Officers continue to use their discretion and provide verbal warnings where possible." Ottawa police, meanwhile, said Wednesday they would "continue to support Ottawa city bylaw officers in enforcing all provincial orders in relation to the pandemic". Matt Skof, president of the Ottawa Police Association, said the police service made clear to its officers soon after the Ford government declared its first state of emergency last spring that they should not lay pandemic-related charges without first consulting their supervising sergeant and Ottawa Public Health. He said he thinks bylaw officers are best placed to be the face of enforcement during the tensions of a pandemic. "In the context of strictly a [COVID-19] discussion, I think it's uncomfortable in society having the police with incredible authorities being the ones to go into direct conflict. It's not an added layer that any police officer would appreciate having added onto them."

  • B.C. premier seeking legal advice on feasibility of inter-provincial travel ban

    The B.C. government is getting legal advice to determine whether an inter-provincial travel ban would be doable — or even constitutional — as a way to protect the province while the number of COVID-19 cases soars in other parts of Canada. Premier John Horgan on Thursday said he and other leaders will be speaking about the issue later in the day and on Friday during a virtual, two-day cabinet retreat. He said he's aiming to nail down by the end of the summit which options the government can take, if any. "People have been talking about [a ban] for months and months, as you know, and I think it's time we put it to bed finally and say either, 'We can do it, and this is how we can do it,' or 'We can't,'" the premier said. "We have been trying our best to find a way to meet that objective ... in a way that's consistent with the charter and other fundamental rights here in Canada. So, legal advice is what we've sought." B.C.'s case counts have fairly consistently been in a better place than those in provinces like Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. In Ontario, a strict new stay-at-home order came into effect at 12:01 a.m. local time as case counts spiked and patients crowded hospitals. The epidemiological curves in Quebec and Saskatchewan are also trending upward, while B.C.'s is now heading down after a peak in November. An emergency room doctor from Whistler, B.C., joined the call for an inter-provincial restrictions this week after seeing a "worrying" number of patients from Ontario and Quebec who had travelled west over the holidays. Horgan also acknowledged that revelations about a half-dozen Canadian politicians who disobeyed restrictions and travelled during their time off this winter "led to a firestorm of frustration and anger" that helped reignite the ban debate. "To the ER doc and other British Columbians: I agree with you that, on the surface, [a ban] would seem an easy thing to do — to just tell people not to come here. That's not part and parcel of who we are as Canadians," the premier said, adding that he's asked provincial leaders to urge people to stay home and not travel to B.C. Constitutional questions There have been questions about the constitutionality of an inter-provincial travel ban since the idea first arose in the spring. Given the extreme situation in which governments find themselves — trying to manage a lethal global pandemic changing by the day — the idea of an inter-provincial travel ban isn't out of the question. "If you're asking me whether I think this is clearly unconstitutional as a concept, my answer is no," said Michael Feder, a Vancouver lawyer with expertise in constitutional law. "I do think the devil is in the detail ... But I don't think the government is going to have a lot of constitutional worries about a ban on travel to go skiing or travel to go golfing," he continued. Feder explained that charter rights are subject to reasonable limits if the government proves those limits are justified in order to achieve an objective. In this case, the province would presumably argue the ban is justified by the risk of increased COVID-19 transmission if tourists from hotspot provinces don't stop travelling to B.C. "You have to be living in a cave not to understand that the situation in Quebec and Ontario is different than the situation in B.C. If the government is seeking to justify a ban based on this problem, it's not going to need to contextualize it for anyone. A court is going to understand why the government is looking at this issue," the lawyer said. Newfoundland and Labrador is facing a constitutional challenge based on its travel restrictions for out-of-province visitors last spring. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association filed the challenge on behalf of a Nova Scotia woman who was denied entry to N.L. to attend her mother's funeral in May. Her lawyers are arguing "no province in Canada can shut its borders to Canadian citizens."

  • Canada to receive 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses a week starting in April: general

    Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military commander leading Canada's COVID-19 vaccine logistics, said today that manufacturers are expected to deliver up to one million doses a week starting in April. In the spring, Fortin said, the country will shift from phase one of the vaccine rollout — immunizing particularly vulnerable people, such as long-term care home residents, some Indigenous adults and health care providers — to a wider rollout as deliveries become larger and more frequent. The Canadian immunization campaign has gotten off to a slow start. A month into the inoculation efforts, barely one per cent of the population has received at least one shot of the Pfizer or Moderna products. Only 615,000 doses have been delivered to the provinces and territories. The federal government is expecting up to six million doses — enough for three million people to be fully vaccinated using the Pfizer and Moderna two-dose products — by the end of March. But Fortin conceded Thursday the government is still negotiating a delivery schedule. "We have a scarcity of vaccines in the first quarter," Fortin said. April will mark the start of the what he's calling the "ramp-up phase." The prospect of a million doses a week will be welcome news to provincial leaders who have been demanding more vaccine supply as COVID-19 cases spike. While the vaccination campaign got off to a slow start, some provinces, notably B.C., Ontario and Quebec, have been fine-tuning their processes to administer doses faster. "We have been sharing data with provinces and territories who, of course, understandably want more vaccines as they ramp up their vaccination programs. The challenge is we have limited quantities," Fortin said. "The rub is right now … there's perhaps a disappointment with the relatively small numbers that are being distributed," Fortin said. WATCH / Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin on vaccine rollout: Other provinces are laggards. Tens of thousands of the doses the federal government has so far shipped are sitting in freezers. Manitoba and Nova Scotia have been particularly slow out of the gate, using less than half of the shots they have received. According to CBC's vaccine tracker, 419,209 doses have been administered so far. Other promising vaccine candidates, such as those from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson's pharmaceutical division, Janssen, are currently being reviewed by regulators at Health Canada. Asked how many doses of those vaccines could flow to Canada in the second quarter of this year, Fortin said he couldn't say. "We're aware of planning figures. I'm not going to disclose them at this time because it's subject to confidentiality agreements with the manufacturers," he said. "We have an amount that's been contracted, purchased pending regulatory approval. I can't speak to dates of quantities at this time." He said doses will start "trickling into the country" if those products get the green light from Health Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that as many as 20 million Canadians could be fully vaccinated between April and June. Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand's office later clarified that that figure is dependent on other vaccines beyond the Moderna and Pfizer products being approved by regulators for use in Canada. 2nd vaccine dose could be delayed for up to 42 days: NACI Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy chief public health officer, also sought to clarify Thursday a recent report by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). That federal body, comprised of scientists and vaccine experts, said this week that provinces could accelerate the number of people being vaccinated by delaying the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna shots for up to 42 days. NACI said every effort should be made to follow the prescribed dosing schedules, but noted there can be exceptions, particularly when vaccine supplies are so hard to come by and the spread of the virus in a given jurisdiction is rapid. WATCH / Dr. Howard Njoo on two-dose protocols: Njoo said Canadian public health officials are still committed to administering the two-dose regime on the timeline recommended by manufacturers — three weeks after the first shot for the Pfizer product, or one month after the first shot for the Moderna vaccine. Echoing NACI, he said there are legitimate reasons to delay some second shots "In exceptional circumstances, jurisdictions may consider an extended interval between doses based on current and projected epidemiological status, health care system capacity and vaccine delivery and management logistics," Njoo said. Quebec, for example, has pushed off some doses to get more initial shots into the arms of patients faster as caseloads mount. New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs told CBC News Network's Power & Politics that his province has not started stretching out the time period between doses but expects his province will begin doing so soon. "Once we have that confirmation of the timelines, that we can spread out between doses, also the confirmation of supply, that we can be assured of what doses are coming and when — when we have those factors in place, we will be able to extend the range and we will do that I'm sure," Higgs told host Vassy Kapelos. "The public health experts and authorities are looking at whether the interval can be increased and based on the available data … it is reasonable," he said. "The principle of increasing the dosing interval is not as problematic."

  • Cardston County Council passes Fire Response Billing Policy

    The updated Fire Response Billing Policy comes after a number of complaints were made to County Council about high bills received by residents after fires on their property. The policy is very similar to what was already being accomplished under the Fire Operations and cost recovery bylaw. The policy includes a section stating that landowners can request an adjustment to their balance by council, who can waive all or a portion of the bill if the fire was started due to a reason outside of the landowners control. This is basically what had happened previously, but is now written into the policy. The policy has been reviewed three times in this one term of council (four years). Reviewing policies is an important job of council, especially as concerns come up from citizens that the policy may not be working for the community.  Council also discussed other topics at the January 11th county council meeting, including the provincial restrictions announced in December being extended longer than initially planned. There is a flavour around the council table for a more geographical approach to restrictions rather than province-wide mandates, and they asked administration to make sure this concern is voiced in the next meeting with Alberta Health Services.  Administration presented a report to council that included good news that an Xplornet broadband project will be going forward after federal funding was approved recently. Councillors asked questions regarding the sequence of events that will now occur and the sites on which infrastructure will be built. Administration will bring forward answers to these questions as the process becomes more concrete over time. Also included in the report were further details on a development decision appeal that will be held on February 10th via zoom regarding the Payne Lake campground.  Council voted in favour of a proposal to request Alberta Community Partnership grant funding  to hire an individual by contract to investigate regional fire and emergency services. This is being done in cooperation with other municipalities in the area and is being spear-headed by the Town of Cardston and their administrative intern, JD Haitsma.  Since December 14th Cardston County has been rotating Administrative staff Monday through Thursday, with the Administration Office being closed on Fridays. This will continue as the pandemic restrictions have been lengthened. Appointments can be scheduled for matters that cannot be resolved by phone or email.   There was much discussion at the meeting about the definition of a fair weather road. Shawn Pitcher is laying a bridge across a fair weather road and county access road to better approach his property, and this has caused some concern to county residents. The County did not seem concerned about having any more liability on this road than on all other fair weather roads that are only used during a few months of the year and usually only by residents who own property around the area. Elizabeth Thompson-Christensen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Temple City Star

  • Ask about COVID-19 return policies as you shop to avoid disappointment later: experts

    TORONTO — Canadians who weren’t happy with some of their holiday gifts or who changed their mind after making purchases might face trouble when trying to get their money back. Scores of retailers across the country have changed their return policies to quell the spread of COVID-19, making it trickier to get an exchange or refund, depending on the store. "It is absolutely a patchwork of all kinds of policies that are constantly changing … and you have no control" said Joanne McNeish, a Ryerson University professor specializing in marketing. "This is truly customer beware territory." Shoppers who took a close look at fine print and store signage might have discovered that in recent months Walmart Canada temporarily stopped accepting returns of three or more of the same items and won’t process returns for any items purchased after June 1 without a receipt. The retailer is also not allowing returns for a slew of items including swimwear, earphones, air mattresses, sleeping bags and trading cards, and has adjusted the return period for many electronics. Costco Canada shoppers have posted photos on social media of store signage revealing the company has stopped accepting toilet paper, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, water, rice and Lysol products for returns in some provinces. Canadian Tire said in an email to The Canadian Press that during lockdown its Ontario stores are not accepting returns and those in Quebec will only process returns for essential goods. For purchases where the 90-day returns window expires during the lockdown period, the retailer will offer a 15-day extension to return items when stores reopen. And if you picked up the wrong bottle of wine at the LCBO, drink up. The Ontario alcohol purveyor has stopped taking returns during COVID-19 shutdowns. "It's all very difficult to figure out because websites are not necessarily clear and I started looking at the back of paper receipts it's not necessarily printed there," said McNeish. Stores switched up policies because COVID-19 has been a burden for retailers, she said. They have had to purchase hand sanitizer and Plexiglas shields and are grappling with the demand and high costs associated with delivery. To avoid being disappointed later, she recommends customers get as much information as they can about returns during the purchase process. Snap a photo of the policy if it's on a store wall or print a copy of the fine print because sometimes employees can misunderstand their own company's policy and their word won't be worth much later, she said. If you buy something you later decide you don't want or that you have a problem with, she urges people not to wait to return it because policies could change in that time. "Returns policies are going to continue to tighten up, especially over the next couple of years, while stores recover from the huge expense they've incurred," she said. It's also important for customers to know what they're entitled to, she said. Canada has no laws requiring retailers to accept returns, but provincial and territorial legislation gives consumers some rights. For example, under the Consumer Protection Act in Ontario, products ordered for delivery must be dropped off within 30 days of the promised date or shoppers can request a refund. However, if the item arrives late and you keep it, you lose your right to a refund. While companies are not obligated to offer returns and the Alberta government has discouraged it during the pandemic, many businesses offer them anyway as a sign of goodwill and a way to build consumer trust. To avoid confusion, Ken Whitehurst, the executive director of the Consumers Council of Canada, has simple advice: “always ask about exchange and return policies.” If customers feel wronged by a return policy they can always take the company to court, although that is less likely to succeed unless the retailer has agreed to liberal return terms., Whitehurst said in an email. If they're trying to return phone or internet equipment, Whitehurst said they can turn to the Commissioner for Complaints in Telecom-Television Services. Car return troubles may be arbitrated by bodies like the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council, he added. If there is no industry association or council to take concerns to, he said, “It never hurts to report the nature of return problems to provincial consumer protection offices.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:CTC) Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press Note to readers:

  • Catholic schools going digital for February registration

    Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education is staying digital for its February registration. New and returning students will be able to register for Catholic schools online, a process that went well last year, says communications co-ordinator Derrian Hallas. “Last year went pretty smooth,” she said. “We’re hoping for an even smoother year this year. “We have a lot more experience with the process now, so we hope it can be even better for families.” Traditionally students would be sent home with paper packages that would need to be filled out and brought back to school. Secretaries would then scan documents and save them digitally. The new digital method allows parents to create a profile for their children online and update it every year with any new changes. Users are able to upload any documents to the profile from their computer or mobile device. “It’s easier on both ends,” said Hallas. In previous years, MHCBE has held in-person open houses for parents and students to take part in. Due to COVID-19, those are not possible. “Most schools have virtual tours that parents and students can take, and they’re quite well done,” she said. “Schools that don’t have them are working on getting them. “New families are able to contact schools and book COVID-safe tours of buildings.” Calculator MHCBE has also created a tool to help parents figure out when their kids are ready to be signed up for kindergarten. Head to the Catholic school board website and click on the ‘Student Registration’ subhead. Under that is a ‘Kindergarten’ option, which will lead users to a calculator tool. Children are able to start Kindergarten if they are five years old on or before Dec. 31, 2021. Children must start Grade 1 if they are six or older on Sept. 1 of this year. “We get a lot of questions around when people should send their children to school,” said Hallas. “Our goal was to make this as user friendly as possible. “All parents have to do is put in their child’s birthday and it will calculate the September they can start school.”Mo Cranker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Medicine Hat News

  • Community comes together to raise funds for one special resident

    Members of the community have gathered together to raise funds for one local resident in need to support. 16-year-old Sam Spiteri was born with Cerebral Palsy, epilepsy and scoliosis. He has recently undergone surgery at Sick Kids hospital to ease pain he endures in his lower limbs, hips and back.  Fortunately, Sam was able to make it home for Christmas and the holidays, but now the Spiteri family are dealing with his long-term care at home, along with therapy costs.  A Go Fund Me donation page has been organized by members of the Spiteri family in order get help from the community to help Sam.  The fundraiser states, “funds raised will be used towards remodeling his bedroom and washroom to be fully accessible. Further funds will be used for at home OT, PT and massage not covered by OHIP.” Ward 5 Regional Councillor Annette Groves has been advocates for Sam and his family for the past decade and continues to support the family by encouraging the Caledon community to participate in fundraising.  “I met Sam and his family about 10 years ago when I received a call from his mother regarding their concern with the Town of Caledon trying to take his pony away,” said Groves. “I received a call recently from his father regarding the surgery Sam had and they needed to raise funds for his therapy.” Sam had pony that was used to help strengthen his legs, but due to complaints from local neighbours, the Town attempted to take the pony away. With the help of Councillor Groves, the pony was able to continue helping Sam.  Councillor Groves has once again dedicated herself to helping Sam, now with donations. “I reached out to some of corporate citizens and when I explained to them what Sam needed…they didn’t hesitate. We still [need] to raise money for him because we are about $10,000 short,” said Groves. “Sam’s parents also had to purchase a van with a lift to be able to transport him to and from therapy and other places.”  Through the help of community members, Councillor Groves raised $11,000 to donate to help with Sam’s therapy and other needs he has. But due to the costly expenses of therapy, the family is in need of $25,000 in total.  The Go Fund Me page has over $9,000 raised for the family but is still in need of more support. Councillor Groves is encouraging members of the community to help the Spiteri family by making donations, no matter what amount, to help with the therapy expenses as well as living at home care expenses. To help Sam and his family, visit gofundme.com and look up Sam’s Home for Christmas Fund to make a donation.Alyssa Parkhill, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Caledon Citizen

  • COVID outbreaks in county as provincial lockdown continues

    Pembroke – There have been several small COVID-19 outbreaks declared in Renfrew County as the province enters its second week of lockdown with this part of Southern Ontario expected to remain in lockdown for a total of 28 days.  A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at the Pembroke Regional Hospital after two staff members associated with the emergency department were confirmed as having the virus. Another outbreak was confirmed at an esthetician workplace in Petawawa where a staff member and two clients tested positive. As well, Miramichi Lodge confirmed an employee at the Lodge, who worked on December 27 but had no resident interactions and a small number of co-worker interactions tested positive.  The Province of Ontario requires the declaration of an outbreak when two cases in the same workplace are connected. At present, the health unit is declaring one active community outbreak, one in hospital, one in a long-term care home and one in the workplace.   While there are currently 26 people in Renfrew County in self-isolation following a COVID-19 diagnosis, and no hospitalizations or individuals in the intensive care unit, Ontario is continuing to see a dramatic increase in cases despite the lockdown. On Tuesday, another 3,128 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the province and 51 people died of the disease. There are 25,840 confirmed, active cases in the province. In Ontario there are there are 1,347 people with COVID-19 in hospitals. Of those, 352 are being treated in intensive care and 245 require the use of a ventilator. At PRH, staff confirmed the outbreak was contained to personnel in the Emergency Department. It was declared an outbreak when a second case was linked to a first positive staff case on December 27.  “Once again we want to assure our community that our hospital, and in particular, our Emergency Department, remains a safe place to come to for medical care due to the safety measures we have in place to protect our patients, visitors, staff and physicians,” said PRH President and CEO, Pierre Noel, who added that no patients have been identified as high-risk contacts of the COVID positive staff members.  Since receiving notification of the first case, the hospital has worked closely with its occupational health and safety team and the Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) to ensure that anyone identified with a risk of exposure has been tested and is isolating and monitoring for symptoms.   “We want the community to know that no staff members who were identified as being at risk of exposure have been at work since the first case was identified nor will they be allowed to return to work until we are confident that there is no ongoing risk,” Mr. Noel said.  The hospital maintains strict safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These include organization-wide use of personal protective equipment, diligent hand hygiene and physical distancing practices, as well as guidance and protocols when physical distancing in shared spaces is not possible. Dr. Robert Cushman, RCDHU acting medical officer of health, confirmed PRH has conducted a thorough assessment of all patient contacts in the ED during the identified time period and that there were no breaches in protocols.   “I want to assure the public that the PRH Emergency Department is safe and that there is absolutely no reason to stay away in the event that you need medical care,” he said.  In Petawawa at the esthetician workplace, the RCDHU is working closely with the workplace to ensure necessary measures continue to be in place to protect all staff and the public. All individuals who have been deemed to be close contacts of the positive cases, have been given direction by RCDHU staff to immediately self-isolate and arrange for testing.  “Please do not let down your guard,” Dr. Cushman stated. “I want to remind you all that we are currently in a province-wide lockdown, so everyone should be staying home since no indoor social gatherings with members of other households are allowed.”  The County of Renfrew issued a statement about the positive case at Miramichi Lodge, noting that while the employee who tested positive wore personal protective equipment including a surgical mask and protective eye wear, in consultation with Dr. Cushman and out of an abundance of caution, Miramichi Lodge will be testing all residents and employees.  Consistent with the provincial directives when a long-term care home has a positive COVID result, Miramichi Lodge must suspend all general visits to the Home. Designated essential caregivers are still permitted; one per resident per visit. “We wish the employee a speedy recovery at home and are hopeful that no residents or additional staff test positive,” Renfrew County Warden Debbie Robinson said. Rigorous infection management practices and procedures remain in place at Miramichi Lodge, according to the county.  “The health and safety of our residents and our employees remain our top priority,” Shelley Sheedy, Director of Long-Term Care, said. “We continue to follow the advice of our colleagues at Public Health to ensure our people are protected while providing care and delivering essential services to our residents.” A previous outbreak at a Pembroke dental office, which was reported in December, has been declared over. There were no additional positive tests among staff or close contacts at the office. The health unit staff noted prompt contact tracing and testing as well as strict compliance with public health directives have successfully contained the outbreak.   The Health Unit also confirmed the outbreak at Algonquin College-Pembroke Campus is over with no additional positive tests among students, staff or close contacts at the college.  According to the statistics released by the health unit on Tuesday, there were 26 confirmed cases in self-isolation in the county. To date there have been 254 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March in the district covered by the RCDHU and one death.  The health unit has completed 47,749 tests since the pandemic began.  Currently there are positive cases in Admaston/Bromley, Deep River, Greater Madawaska, Laurentian Valley, Madawaska Valley, Pembroke, Renfrew and Whitewater Region. Head, Clara, and Maria, as well as Pikwakanagan and Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards continue to hold the distinction of being the only areas within the county with no COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began. The RCDHU is reminded the public to adhere to the new public health measures set out in the provincial shutdown As well, area residents are reminded to: stay home if they are sick; avoid contact with people who are ill; practice physical distancing (2 metres); wear a mask/face covering when physical distancing cannot be maintained; wash their hands; use the COVID Alert App and complete the COVID-19 self-assessment tool or COVID-19 school screening tool daily before going to work, school or daycare, to monitor for symptoms and proper guidance.  Testing continues this week on Thursday in Laurentian Valley, Cobden and Deep River. On Friday there is testing in Arnprior, Horton and Barry’s bay. Anyone needing a test much call RV VTAC to schedule a testing time at 1-844-727-6404.Debbi Christinck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eganville Leader

  • Enduring 2nd impeachment, Trump stands largely silent, alone

    WASHINGTON — His place in the history books rewritten, President Donald Trump endured his second impeachment largely alone and silent. For more than four years, Trump has dominated the national discourse like no one before him. Yet when his legacy was set in stone on Wednesday, he was stunningly left on the sidelines. Trump now stands with no equal, the only president to be charged twice with a high crime or misdemeanour, a new coda for a term defined by a deepening of the nation's divides, his failures during the worst pandemic in a century and his refusal to accept defeat at the ballot box. Trump kept out of sight in a nearly empty White House as impeachment proceedings played out at the heavily fortified U.S. Capitol. There, the damage from last week’s riots provided a visible reminder of the insurrection that the president was accused of inciting. Abandoned by some in his own party, Trump could do nothing but watch history unfold on television. The suspension of his Twitter account deprived Trump of his most potent means to keep Republicans in line, giving a sense that Trump had been defanged and, for the first time, his hold on his adopted party was in question. He was finally heard from hours after the vote, in a subdued video that condemned the insurrection at the Capitol and warned his supporters from engaging in any further violence. It was a message that was largely missing one week earlier, when rioters marching in Trump’s name descended on the Capitol to try to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s victory. “I want to be very clear: I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week," said Trump. He added that “no true supporter” of his “could ever endorse political violence.” But that message, partially motivated to warn off legal exposure for sparking the riot, ran contrary to what Trump has said throughout his term, including when he urged his supporters to “fight” for him last week. Trump said not a word about his impeachment in the video, though he complained about the ban on his social media. And later Wednesday, he asked allies if he had gone too far with the video, wondering if it might upset some of his supporters. Four White House officials and Republicans close to the West Wing discussed Trump’s private conversations on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to do so publicly. With only a week left in Trump's term, there were no bellicose messages from the White House fighting the proceedings on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and no organized legal response. Some congressional Republicans did defend the president during House debate in impeachment, their words carrying across the same space violated by rioters one week earlier during a siege of the citadel of democracy that left five dead. In the end, 10 Republicans voted to impeach. It was a marked change from Trump’s first impeachment. That December 2019 vote in the House, which made Trump only the third president ever impeached, played out along partisan lines. The charges then were that he had used the powers of the office to pressure Ukraine to investigate a political foe, Joe Biden, now the president-elect. At that time, the White House was criticized for failing to create the kind of robust “war room” that President Bill Clinton mobilized during his own impeachment fight. Nonetheless, Trump allies did mount their own pushback campaign. There were lawyers, White House messaging meetings, and a media blitz run by allies on conservative television, radio and websites. Trump was acquitted in 2020 by the GOP-controlled Senate and his approval ratings were undamaged. But this time, as some members of his own party recoiled and accused him of committing impeachable offences, Trump was isolated and quiet. A presidency centred on the bombastic declaration “I alone can fix it” seemed to be ending with a whimper. The third-ranking Republican in the House, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, said there had “never been a greater betrayal” by a president. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told colleagues in a letter that he had not decided how he would vote in an impeachment trial. For the first time, Trump’s future seemed in doubt, and what was once unthinkable — that enough Republican senators would defy him and vote to remove him from office — seemed at least possible, if unlikely. But there was no effort from the White House to line up votes in the president’s defence. The team around Trump is hollowed out, with the White House counsel’s office not drawing up a legal defence plan and the legislative affairs team largely abandoned. Trump leaned on Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to push Republican senators to oppose removal. Graham’s spokesman said the senator was making the calls of his own volition. Trump and his allies believed that the president’s sturdy popularity with the lawmakers’ GOP constituents would deter them from voting against him. The president was livid with perceived disloyalty from McConnell and Cheney and has been deeply frustrated that he could not hit back with his Twitter account, which has kept Republicans in line for years. He also has turned on his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who touted election conspiracy theories and whom many in the president's orbit believe shoulders some of the blame for both impeachments. Trump had grown irritated at Giuliani's lavish spending, which included a request to be paid $20,000 a day, and told aides to stop paying him. Trump watched much of the day's proceedings on TV from the White House residence and his private dining area off the Oval Office. A short time before he was impeached, Trump was in the White House East Room presenting the National Medal of Arts to singers Toby Keith and Ricky Skaggs as well as former Associated Press photographer Nick Ut. His paramount concern, beyond his legacy, was what a second impeachment could do to his immediate political and financial future. The loss of his Twitter account and fundraising lists could complicate Trump's efforts to remain a GOP kingmaker and potentially run again in 2024. Moreover, Trump seethed at the blows being dealt to his business, including the withdrawal of a PGA tournament from one of his golf courses and the decision by New York City to cease dealings with his company. There's the possibility that if the Senate were to convict him, he also could be barred from seeking election again, dashing any hopes of another presidential campaign. A White House spokesman did not respond to questions about whether anyone in the building was trying to defend Trump, who was now the subject of half of the presidential impeachments in the nation's history. One campaign adviser, Jason Miller, argued Democrats’ efforts will serve to galvanize the Republican base behind Trump and end up harming Biden. He blamed the Democrats’ swift pace for the silence, saying there wasn’t “time for mounting a traditional response operation.” But he pledged that “the real battle will be the Senate where there’ll be a more traditional pushback effort.” The reminders of the Capitol siege were everywhere as the House moved toward the impeachment roll call. Some of the Capitol’s doors were broken and windows were shattered. A barricade had gone up around outside the building and there were new checkpoints. Hundreds of members of the National Guard patrolled the hallways, even sleeping on the marble floors of the same rotunda that once housed Abraham Lincoln’s casket. And now the Capitol is the site of more history, adding to the chapter that features Clinton, impeached 21 years ago for lying under oath about sex with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, and Andrew Johnson, impeached 151 years ago for defying Congress on Reconstruction. Another entry is for Richard Nixon, who avoided impeachment by resigning during the Watergate investigation. But Trump, the only one impeached twice, will once more be alone. ___ Lemire reported from New York. Jonathan Lemire, Jill Colvin And Zeke Miller, The Associated Press

  • PSAC contesting CRA determination that payments of Phoenix damages are taxable

    OTTAWA — The country's biggest civil service union says it will contest a decision that would see government workers pay tax on money they receive as part of a settlement reached over long-standing problems with their paycheques.The federal government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) reached a deal last summer to compensate the union's 140,000 members affected by failures in the Phoenix pay system.The agreement would see workers paid up to $2,500 in general damages for four years of pay problems including delays, overpayments, underpayments or lack of pay.A letter provided to PSAC by the Treasury Board Secretariat says the Canada Revenue Agency has concluded those payments are taxable.The union says the letter is not a formal tax ruling and will dispute it on the basis that the CRA has determined that other specific damages in the settlement are non-taxable.Treasury Board also announced Thursday that it has launched a new claims process to compensate current and former employees who experienced severe personal or financial impacts as a result of issues with the Phoenix pay system.The new process was called for as part of a separate agreement reached in June 2019 with other unions to compensate approximately 121,000 current and 25,000 former employees.This report by The Canadian Press was first published January 14, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Report: Government mandates reduced Anchorage virus spread

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Health mandates issued in Anchorage helped reduce the spread of the coronavirus last year, a new Alaska Division of Public Health report said. The report released this week said a June mask mandate was responsible for reducing case counts in Alaska's largest city by almost 20%. The study found there was a 60% decline in coronavirus transmission in the month after the mask mandate went into effect. Additional transmission drops happened after two emergency orders by former Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz were implemented in July and August. They limited capacity in bars, restaurants, gyms and indoor public venues. The business capacity restrictions and month-long shutdown dropped transmissions more than 30%, the report said. The report evaluated a wide range of data gathered before, after and during Anchorage’s early “hunker down” emergency orders to track their effectiveness. Through August “exponential growth not only slowed, but was reversed,” the report said. “They definitely were followed by sharp reduction in the spread of COVID-19, which was the goal. And they proved to be effective in reducing transmission in the city,” said Dr. Thomas Hennessy, a University of Alaska infectious disease epidemiologist and one of the report's authors. The daily case count decline throughout the August shutdown suggested bars and restaurants were a major factor in coronavirus transmission, the report said. The closures were aimed at preventing people from spending prolonged periods of time together and limiting the risk of transmission, Hennessy said. “That’s what these emergency orders really addressed. By reducing capacity in those restaurants and then closing them, it prevented people from going into those locations and mixing,” Hennessy said. The theory that bars and restaurants played a significant role in virus transmission during the early summer was criticized by many in the hospitality industry who have faced severe economic hardship. The orders fueled continuing protests from residents who argue the city unfairly and unnecessarily targeted some businesses. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The Associated Press

  • Marc Demers n’a jamais démissionné de l’ARTM

    Malgré l’annonce officielle de sa démission l’hiver dernier, on a appris avec stupéfaction, mardi soir, que le maire Marc Demers n’a jamais quitté son poste au conseil d’administration (CA) de l’Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM). L’information est sortie furtivement à la toute fin de l’assemblée du conseil municipal, échappant à l’attention des partis d’opposition. Ça s’est passé lors des échanges entourant l’avis de proposition de David De Cotis à l’effet d’instaurer la gratuité de la passe mensuelle d’autobus de la STL pour les jeunes lavallois de 12 ans et moins. Débattant de la proposition, le conseiller municipal et président de la Société de transport de Laval (STL), Éric Morasse, la jugeait «caduque» considérant que pareille mesure est enchâssée dans la refonte tarifaire adoptée lors de la dernière séance du CA de l’Autorité régionale, laquelle entrera progressivement en vigueur à compter du 1er juillet. «[C’est] un cheval de bataille de notre maire Marc Demers en tant que membre du comité exécutif de l’ARTM», a-t-il déclaré au sujet de la gratuité du transport collectif pour les moins de 12 ans. «Comme monsieur Morasse l’a expliqué, monsieur le maire a un siège sur le CA de l’Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain, [il] s’est déjà positionné en faveur de cette mesure», a renchéri le conseiller de Laval-les-Iles et membre associé du comité exécutif,  Nicholas Borne, celui-là même que M. Demers avait identifié pour lui succéder en mars dernier. Par voie de communiqué le 9 mars 2020, le maire Demers annonçait qu’il avait remis sa démission à titre d’administrateur de l’Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) au président du conseil d’administration, Pierre Shedleur. «Cette démission deviendra effective lorsqu’il sera remplacé au conseil par un autre membre élu de Laval», écrivait-on. La raison alors évoquée: Marc Demers souhaitait «se consacrer davantage aux intérêts de la population lavalloise». Il renonçait du coup aux émoluments de 20 000 $ par année attachés à cette fonction. Au cabinet du maire, on explique la volte-face de Marc Demers du fait que Laval aurait perdu son siège advenant sa démission. «Je vous confirme que M. Demers avait bel et bien l’intention de démissionner de sa fonction au conseil d’administration de l’ARTM, indique son porte-parole, Alexandre Banville, par courriel. Pour que Laval puisse toujours jouir d’une bonne représentation à cette instance, nous souhaitions proposer la candidature de M. Nicholas Borne». Précisons ici que le CA de l’ARTM est formé de 15 membres dont 8 sont désignés par la Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM), nommément les 5 élus composant le conseil. «Malheureusement, la recommandation de la CMM était de refuser le remplacement de M. Demers par un élu autre que le maire de Laval […] Conséquemment, dans le plus grand intérêt de la population lavalloise, M. Demers est demeuré en poste.» À la CMM, on informe que le maire de Laval et les mairesses de Montréal et Longueuil sont nommés d’office au conseil de l’ARTM et qu’aucune délégation de pouvoir n’est autorisée. «Il n’est pas possible pour un maire de déléguer un élu de son équipe pour le représenter au conseil de l’ARTM, nous écrit Julie Brunet, conseillère en communication à la Direction générale de la CMM. Vous devez savoir que la Loi sur l’Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain ne prévoit pas de mécanisme de remplacement temporaire de ses administrateurs». Une règle «archaïque» qui «fait preuve de bien peu d’empathie», estime le porte-parole du cabinet du maire de Laval. «Alors que M. Demers limite ses activités pour des raisons familiales et de santé, il n’est toujours pas possible de se faire remplacer, et ce, même temporairement et pour des raisons extraordinaires.» Information corroborée par le conseiller aux affaires publiques et relations média à l’Autorité régionale, Simon Charbonneau, qui souligne au passage que le conseil de l’ARTM tient ses séances à huis clos, tel que le prévoit sa loi constitutive. Jusqu’à mardi soir dernier, le chef de l’opposition officielle, Michel Trottier, prenait pour acquis que Nicholas Borne siégeait au conseil de l’Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain à titre d’élu lavallois. «Question de transparence, la moindre des choses aurait été de corriger le tir», a commenté M. Trottier. Au cabinet du maire, on n’a pas jugé bon publier un nouveau communiqué pour informer que le maire demeurait en fonction. «Dans sa lettre de démission que vous relatiez avec justesse au printemps dernier, M. Demers indiquait qu’il souhaitait quitter aussitôt qu’un remplaçant lavallois serait désigné», fait valoir M. Banville. Cela dit, il ajoute que l’Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain n’est pas le «dossier le plus chaud à l’hôtel de ville», évoquant la crise sanitaire qui allait éclater peu de temps après. «Avec la pandémie, la relance économique et le soutien à nos milieux fragilisés, les premiers efforts de M. Demers et de son équipe sont orientés vers la population lavalloise et une digne représentation de cette dernière dans toutes les instances pertinentes», termine-t-il.Stéphane St-Amour, Initiative de journalisme local, Courrier Laval