Guards at a Moldovan prison catch a cat being used to traffic drugs attached to its neck. Sharon Reich reports.
OTTAWA — Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says his department will appeal a Federal Court ruling that limits First Nations' ability to postpone the election of chiefs and councils during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous Services Canada developed regulations last year to allow First Nation councils to delay elections and extend the terms of their chiefs and councillors to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Miller says the regulations help First Nations avoid a critical governance gap that might be caused by their inability to hold elections during the pandemic. Early this month, the Federal Court ruled that a section of the regulations, related to custom election codes, is invalid. Between April 8, 2020, and March 22, 2021, 116 First Nations used the regulations to postpone elections to avoid COVID-19 outbreaks. During the same period, 36 First Nations held elections under the Indian Act, 15 under the First Nations Elections Act and 65 under a community or custom process. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2021. ——— This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Former central banker Mark Carney says he'll do whatever he can to support the federal Liberal party.Until now, Carney has avoided any overt show of partisanship, as required in his former roles as governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.But he's telling Liberals at their convention that he's committed to public service and helping the governing party.It's not clear whether that means Carney intends to run for the party in the next election.Liberals have long touted Carney as a possible leader one day.He flirted quietly with the idea of a leadership run back in 2012 but eventually squelched the idea by suggesting he would just as soon become a "circus clown."This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2021. The Canadian Press
B.C. RCMP are seeking witnesses and dashcam footage related to a homicide in West Kelowna in March. On March 21, a 35-year-old man was shot and killed near Highway 97 between Butt and Grizzly roads. RCMP said that the shooting appeared to be targeted. Investigators are still seeking eyewitnesses and dashcam footage from everyone who travelled in the area between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. that Sunday. Investigators said in a written statement that they believe a vehicle headed toward West Kelowna stopped in the intersection for a brief time. They say they would like to speak to the occupants of the vehicle, which is described as a dark coloured and, possibly, smaller-style SUV. Police ask everyone with information to contact the B.C. RCMP Southeast District Major Crime Unit tipline at 1-877-987-8477.
MOSCOW — The Kremlin said Friday it fears a resumption of full-scale fighting in eastern Ukraine and could take steps to protect Russian civilians there, a stark warning that comes amid a Russian troop build-up along the border. The statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, reflected the Kremlin’s determination to prevent Ukraine from using force to try to retake control over separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's military chief dismissed the Russian claims that the country's armed forces are preparing for an attack on the rebel east. Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists have been fighting in eastern Ukraine since shortly after Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. More than 14,000 people have died in the conflict, and efforts to negotiate a political settlement have stalled. Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of sending in troops and weapons to help separatists, accusations that Moscow has denied. The White House says Russia now has more troops on its border with Ukraine than at any time since 2014. Russia also claimed that it had to protect Russian-speakers in Crimea when it sent troops into the Black Sea peninsula and then annexed it in March 2014 following a hastily-called public vote. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday after visiting troops in the east that 26 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed so far this year. Increasingly frequent breaches of a July truce agreement mean that “we again face the need to establish a cease-fire,” Zelenskyy said. The separatist authorities in Donetsk said 20 troops and 2 civilians have been killed this year. Western and Ukrainian officials have raised concerns in recent weeks about increasingly frequent cease-fire violations in the country’s industrial heartland. They also expressed worries about the Russian troop build-up along the border with Ukraine. The concerns appeared to intensify Friday as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to his French and German counterparts about the matter. The State Department said Blinken, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian discussed the need for Russia to cease its military build-up and heated rhetoric. During a call with Putin on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel “called for the removal of these troop reinforcements in order to achieve a de-escalation of the situation.” Peskov said Russia is free to deploy its troops wherever it wants on its territory. He accused the Ukrainian military of an “escalation of provocative actions” along the line of control in the east that threatens Russia's security. “The Kremlin has fears that a civil war could resume in Ukraine. And if a civil war, a full-scale military action, resumes near our borders that would threaten the Russian Federation's security,” Peskov said. “The ongoing escalation of tensions is quite unprecedented.” In Kyiv, Col.-Gen. Ruslan Khomchak, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, rejected Moscow's claims of the alleged Ukrainian preparations for an offensive in the east as part of a “disinformation campaign” and a “hybrid war.” The Russian military, meanwhile, said its scouts have trained for missions behind enemy lines during the latest drills in the Belgorod region that borders Ukraine. And in the Black Sea, the Russian navy's missile boats have practiced striking enemy ships. Dmitry Kozak, a Putin aide who serves as Russia’s top negotiator with Kyiv, warned Ukraine on Thursday against using force to retake control of the east, where many residents have Russian citizenship. Such a move would mark “the beginning of an end for Ukraine,” he said, adding that Russia would likely act to protect its citizens. Asked about Kozak’s comment, Peskov alleged that virulent nationalist rhetoric in Ukraine was inflaming hatred against the mostly Russian-speaking population of the east. He claimed that if civilians in eastern Ukraine faced the threat of a massacre, “all countries, including Russia, will take steps to prevent such tragedies.” A Turkish Foreign Ministry official said Friday the United States has notified Turkey that two U.S. warships will sail to the Black Sea on April 14 and April 15 and stay there until May 4 and May 5. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules. Such visits by the U.S. and other NATO ships have vexed Moscow, which long has bristled at Ukraine's efforts to build up defence ties with the West and its aspirations to eventually join NATO. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned Friday that Ukraine's NATO bid “wouldn't only lead to a massive escalation of the situation in the southeast but could also entail irreversible consequences for the Ukrainian statehood.” ___ This story corrects that Russia said in 2014 it had to protect Russian-speakers in Crimea, not Russian civilians. ___ Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press
Rising COVID-19 case numbers means it's "more likely than not" that schools will remain closed after the end of next week's spring break, Ottawa's medical officer of health says. Dr. Vera Etches delivered that news with "a heavy heart" during a city media briefing Friday afternoon. "I know how important schools are to the health of the community," Etches said. "Closing schools will underline the seriousness of the situation and will assist people to stay home as much as possible." Along with the rest of Ontario, Ottawa is now under a stay-at-home order until at least early May as cases surge during the pandemic's third wave. City health officials also reported new 242 COVID-19 cases on Friday, a one-day record. School transmission stable The fate of elementary and secondary schools would likely be decided by next Wednesday, Etches said. Certain details, including how child-care centres would operate, still need to be worked out. Etches maintained transmission in schools isn't "out of control," with the majority of cases connected to someone else who'd caught COVID-19 in the wider community. "There have been new school outbreaks this week, but the overall number of outbreaks has remained fairly stable, and it's still a minority of schools that are affected by people testing positive," she said. "My heart is heavy because I know how important schools are to the health of our community."
First Nations backing Ottawa’s plan to phase out salmon farms in the Discovery Islands feel betrayed after a court ruled in favour of aquaculture companies looking to restock fish at their sites in the region. On Monday, Federal Court Justice Peter George Pamel said Mowi Canada West and Saltstream would suffer substantial harm if they couldn’t transfer juvenile fish into three farm sites in the area. But Homalco Chief Darren Blaney said the companies’ win comes at the expense of wild salmon and all the First Nations dependent on the fish for food, and economic or cultural reasons. “The ‘irreparable harm’ — using the judge’s words — will be for the wild salmon,” Blaney said, noting Fraser River sockeye salmon returns are at an all-time low. “And it means First Nations will have to suffer the consequences of this decision.” The companies sought an injunction after federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan announced in December that salmon farms in the Discovery Islands had to close by the end of June 2022, and no new fish could be moved to the farms in the meantime. Jordan’s decision was the result of consultations with seven First Nations in the region who wanted the farms removed. But Pamel’s decision means Jordan now has to “roll back the clock” and evaluate the salmon farms' fish transfer applications without relying on her decision to ban restocking in December. Mowi has said it now expects it will secure the federal licences necessary to stock 1.2 million fish at two farms in the region. The court ruling was doubly bitter because Jordan’s decision to phase out the farms and ban fish restocking was based on talks with seven First Nations, including the Homalco, Blaney said. Yet when the fish transfer issue went to court, the Homalco and Tla'amin Nation were denied the right to intervene and speak on the issue that concerned their rights, Blaney said. “It’s pretty ironic the judge didn’t take into consideration the First Nations’ perspective,” Blaney said. “And there was nobody there with a strong voice for the First Nations.” Ecojustice lawyer Margot Venton — part of a legal team representing a conservation coalition presenting at the hearing — said the parties in court ended up discussing limited evidence about First Nations’ perspectives on fish transfers, but without them actually being in the room. “It was very uncomfortable,” Venton said, adding her clients were supportive of First Nations participating. “Everybody was talking about what those First Nations’ wishes were, but they were not there.” It’s not only the seven First Nations in the Discovery Islands region that are impacted by the loss of wild salmon, all nations along the coast and the Fraser River deserve a say, Blaney said. “You have 102 First Nations opposing fish farms, and they should all be consulted because their fish numbers are so low,” he said. “Sockeye runs are at their lowest point in 100 years of counting. Down to 293,000 when they used to be upwards of 40 million a year.” The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) backed Ottawa’s decision to phase out the farms and ban fish transfers. It also denounced the move by Mowi Canada West, Cermaq Canada and Grieg Seafood to launch a wider challenge, which is still moving through the courts, to overturn the Discovery Islands decision. Overturning Jordan’s decision would undermine the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and First Nations rights, the FNLC said. The court decision was an example of economics trumping environmental concerns, said FNLC member and Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver. “It's not really surprising,” said Silver, who is also fisheries representative for the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. “It always seems that industry, and the interest of economics, wins out when the environment is involved. “Decisions need to be made around sustainability and the dollar factor has to change.” While the recent court ruling is unwelcome, Jordan’s entire decision around fish farms in the Discovery Islands is on the line when the judicial review gets underway, especially if First Nations aren’t participating, said Silver. “There's a bigger decision to be made yet,” Silver said. “And I hope the courts, and others, will hear the voice of our people as reflected by the leadership council.” Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, National Observer
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, warned Canadians on Friday that "the race" between COVID-19 vaccines and variant cases is at a "critical point."
Watching baby elephants are one of the most rewarding things you can do while on an African safari. The video shows just how adorable baby elephants can be while dealing with their daily real-life struggles such as attempting to get back onto your feet while lying down in slippery mud. While on safari in the Kruger National Park, it didn’t take long for us to find our first sighting which was a small herd of elephants. The herd of elephants were on the banks of a small river busy drinking water and playing in the mud. Whenever elephants are near any water or mud, you can be assured that it will be a great experience to watch. Just observing the unique manner in which elephants drink water is a magical experience on its own. Some elephants, especially the youngsters, usually decides to cool down in the mud after their drink of water. This is usually where the real fun and entertaining watching starts. It didn’t take long to spot one of those funny and entertaining moments amongst the herd members. On the opposite side of the river bank was two baby elephants, one was kicking around in the mud in front of him while the smaller baby elephant was lying on its side in the mud. The baby elephant lying down in the mud was making sure that he got that one side of his body covered in mud, helping the elephants to cool down during the heat of the day. The most amusing part of the bay elephant’s behaviour was when it looked like it was making an attempt to get back on to its feet. The baby elephant managed to roll from its side onto its belly. From the belly down position the baby elephant looked very lazy and not very committed to really get back up onto its feet. With what looked like a real big effort, the baby elephant finally managed to get onto it is feet only to suddenly find itself in another wobbly moment. The mud under its feet was clearly slippery and the baby elephant nearly lost his footing before finally gathering himself to stand up straight next to mommy. We wholeheartedly enjoyed our experience and time with the herd of elephants. We left the herd alone and drove off, each person on the vehicle with a smile on their face and the fresh memories of the adorable baby elephant in the mud
Brett Langdeau used to take the bus every day to his job at Home Depot in Coquitlam, B.C. But that all changed once the pandemic hit. "A large part of it was due to fear. I didn't want to be in an enclosed space with a bunch of other people," said Langdeau, who would take the bus from his home in the city. He borrowed his parent's car and has been driving to work ever since. Experts say Langdeau's story is common, and it's one of the reasons traffic levels are high in Metro Vancouver even though many people are still working from home. And traffic volume, they warn, will most likely exceed pre-pandemic levels as confidence in taking transit recovers slowly, even as more people get vaccinated and return to the workplace. Recent data from TransLink shows that crossings on three major bridges in Metro Vancouver owned by the transit authority — Golden Ears, Pattullo and Knight Street — are within 10 per cent of pre-COVID volume. The data from the transit authority compares the average number of weekday crossings every month from the beginning of 2019 until March 2021. On the Pattullo Bridge between New Westminster and Surrey, there was a definitive drop in crossings in the first few months of the pandemic, but traffic volume quickly rebounded. Last month, an average of 62,078 vehicles crossed the span on weekdays — only around five per cent less than the figure for February 2020, the month before sweeping pandemic restrictions were introduced. It's a similar story on the Knight Street Bridge between Vancouver and Richmond, where there were an average of 94,166 daily crossings on weekdays in February, a decrease of only nine per cent compared to February 2020. Meanwhile, last month, the Golden Ears Bridge connecting Langley with Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge saw its highest number of average weekday crossings since August 2019, at 67,174. While traffic levels are high on the roads, there's been a huge decrease in ridership of about 60 per cent on transit, according to TransLink. The pandemic caused a big disruption in travel behaviour, says SFU associate professor of health sciences Dr. Meghan Winters. "A lot of people did shift their travel modes. People who had choices stopped using transit. StatsCan data says that three-quarters of those people went to drive in their private vehicles," she said. Winters says people's travel behaviours generally only shift due to big disruptions in their lives like buying a house, finding a new romantic partner, retiring — or a global pandemic. "The kind of interruption or disruption we saw with the COVID lockdown was completely unprecedented," she said. Learned habits could lead to congestion Congestion levels on major crossings are something TransLink is keeping a close eye on, especially as transit ridership numbers have plummeted. "People are not sharing small spaces. Whether that be shared rides, carpooling, or on transit," said Geoff Cross, vice-president of planning and policy at TransLink. It's a problem Winters doesn't see going away once we are all vaccinated. Transit riders have developed new learned habits through the pandemic, she says — and she's not convinced vaccinations will be a big enough event to push them back to shared transit options. "When we are all vaccinated ... it's not going to feel like that same disruption. So it's not going to have that same kind of intervention feeling. And, I would say, it's likely that people will be slow to make those behaviour changes," said Winters. There were more than 62,000 crossings on the Pattullo Bridge in March 2021.(CBC) With traffic levels already close to normal, she predicts the return to in-office work and in-classroom studies will equal major congestion on the Lower Mainland's roads. "There's not capacity on our roads. We were in a state of congestion that was having social and economic impacts pre-COVID," said Winters. 'Robust' recovery in ridership predicted Once the government says it's safe to encourage larger numbers back to transit, Cross says TransLink expects some hesitancy over the first few months as riders test their comfort levels, but he's confident ridership will rebound. "We do believe that there will be a very rapid and robust recovery into 2022," he said, adding that congestion on the roads over the first few months post-vaccination could actually encourage more people to return to taking the bus or SkyTrain. He says the team is preparing a campaign to welcome riders back and convince them of the system's safety. Geoff Cross, vice-president of planning and policy at TransLink, says people no longer feel comfortable sharing tight spaces like buses and SkyTrain cars during the pandemic. But he's confident ridership in the transit system will rebound.(Maggie MacPherson) The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy — which is responsible for TransLink — says it's looking to the transit authority to convince the public to, once again, ditch their vehicles. "We are confident that British Columbians will make increasing use of transit as we emerge from the pandemic," it said in a statement. But Langdeau says his return to transit will be decided by the numbers, even if he has been vaccinated. "If we have a transmission rate that's going up, I would be hesitant to get on the bus at all," he said.
Hong Kong authorities said on Friday they had seized nearly 9,000 Thai cleaning products suspected to have wrong labelling from a shop founded by a pro-democracy activist facing charges under the city's contentious national security law. Customs officers on Thursday raided 25 shops belonging to the chain, AbouThai, and arrested a 33-year-old male director of the group, the government said in a statement. "The product information marked on the packages of the products involved failed to bear Chinese and English bilingual warnings or cautions," it said, adding the estimated market value of the 8,805 products seized was about HK$400,000 ($51,400).
Saskatchewan is reporting 358 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the highest single-day increase in nearly three months. On Jan. 15, 382 new cases were announced. Premier Scott Moe said his government will consider over the coming days whether more public health measures need to be put in place. "These numbers will be watched very, very closely," Moe said, adding that conversations with Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, will continue. Moe said the province will get advice from Shahab on whether the stricter health orders in place in Regina should be extended out across the rest of the province. While Shahab provides advice, it's the government that ultimately decides on public health measures. Moe said he had not yet spoken to Shahab on Friday. The premier called the restrictions already in place throughout the province "significant" and called for people who are impatient for the pandemic to be over to remain vigilant. "Over the course of these last number of weeks, we need to double down our efforts on the existing health measures," Moe said. Regional change may be needed: Moe Moe said officials would look at where the increase in cases is happening and decide on whether any regional steps are necessary. The highest proportion of new cases announced Friday came from the Regina area, where rules were already tightened two weeks ago due to concerns about rising variant cases. The overall caseload was spread out regionally as follows: far northwest (six), northwest (30), north central (14), northeast (seven), Saskatoon (64), central west (three), central east (19), Regina (108), southwest (four), south central (eight), and southeast (63). Moe said the province would also consider whether even stricter rules are needed in the Regina area. "We haven't had those conversations yet, but I know we will," he said. (CBC) "We would hope that we'll be able to manage through this but we do have to ensure that we are ensuring the safety of Saskatchewan people," Moe said. 6 new deaths Six new deaths were also reported Friday. One was in the 40 to 49 age group from the Regina area, four were in the 70 to 79 age group in the Regina (two), Saskatoon and southeast areas, and one was in the 80-and-over age group in the Regina area. Saskatchewan's seven-day average for total new cases stands at 242, or 19.7 new cases per 100,000 people. The last time it was that high was in late January, near the end of Saskatchewan's deadly second wave. Two hundred and six people are in hospital due to COVID-19 in the province, including 43 people under intensive care. "There are younger people that are staying in hospital for a lengthier period of time," Moe said of recent COVID-19 data trends. Variant cases update Health officials have now identified 3,086 cases of COVID-19 variants so far in the province, an increase of more than 100 cases from Thursday. Regina saw the highest day-over-day increase, with 2,189 variant cases now identified compared to 2,107 on Thursday. The variant cases identified so far in Saskatoon held steady at 189. (Government of Saskatchewan)
Two employees working at two different city-operated mass immunization clinics have tested positive for COVID-19. In a news release issued by Toronto Public Health (TPH) Friday, the city said one of the employees worked at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre clinic between April 2 and 5. The other staff member was on-site at the Scarborough Town Centre clinic from March 31 to April 2. "The risk to the general public who attended the clinics is extremely low," the news release reads. The employees and those who may have come into contact with them were all wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and maintained physical distancing, TPH said. Measures to ensure the safety of clinic staff and those with appointments for vaccination have been taken, the city says. "As a precaution, anyone who was at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre clinic between April 2 and 5 or the Scarborough Town Centre between March 31 and April 2 should monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days after their visit," TPH advised. Any staff who may have come into contact with the individuals who tested positive have been informed and are following public health direction. TPH says the clinics have been cleaned and sanitized and are carefully following safety measures. All clinic operations are continuing and those with confirmed appointments should still attend at their scheduled time, the health unit says.
Concerns are being raised by some members of P.E.I.'s trucking industry about what the future might hold as a driver shortage lingers across Canada. "I think people have a concept of what the industry is and I don't think it's accurate," said Brian Oulton, the executive director of the P.E.I. Trucking Sector Council. "It's not a, you know, old boys club. There's a lot of diversity, there's a lot of opportunity, there's a ton of professionalism." Currently, Oulton estimates approximately 4,000 people are working in the trucking profession on the Island — roughly half of those are drivers. But, he said more than 500 additional people will be needed over the next five years. "The major shortage we have here is for long-haul truck drivers ... as well as truck and transport mechanics." Aging industry According to Oulton, there are several factors that play into the current situation. On one hand, he said trucking is an aging profession on P.E.I. with the majority of workers being over 45 years old. "We're seeing people come in as a second career," said Oulton. "That puts a bit of pressure and I guess makes us a bit older as an industry." 'The majority of our workforce, in fact, is 45-plus,' says Brian Oulton, the executive director at the P.E.I. Trucking Sector Council.(Tony Davis/CBC News) On top of that, he said COVID-19 has had an impact on getting temporary foreign workers and training new employees. "As part of the training, each student will take a four-week internship with a company and be paired with a driver coach," said Oulton. "Well, a lot of coaches don't want to share their trucks right now." 'Quite fortunate' Seafood Express Transport said it has just enough drivers at the moment but is also struggling to recruit more. "We've been quite fortunate to have our trucks full but ... I do find it difficult to find good quality drivers," said Suzanne Gray, the company's recruiting co-ordinator. 'Our minimum experience is two years experience on the road, but it's hard to find that nowadays,' says Suzanne Gray, the recruiting co-ordinator at Seafood Express Transport.(CBC News) Gray said there is still a lot of interest in local container work but people they've interviewed for jobs seem reluctant to travel to the U.S. "A lot of them just have a fear of going into those high areas that are ... COVID hotspots." Finding people who qualify for the job is also becoming more difficult. "Our minimum experience is two years experience on the road, but it's hard to find that nowadays, of drivers that are qualified, that have the experience and that are looking for U.S. long-haul work in particular," she said. Driver diversity For those interested in joining the industry Oulton said they can reach out to the trucking sector council for more information. And while he said it is helpful that many drivers are continuing to work after 65 years old, he said the council is looking to attract those who may not have considered driving as a career. "It was traditionally a male-dominated industry, which we've been doing a lot of work to attract women and, you know youth, other groups to this," said Oulton. "It's a slower process and we're getting there but that has kind of been part of it as well." More from CBC P.E.I.
WASHINGTON — The State Department on Friday unveiled new rules for U.S. government contacts with Taiwan that are likely to anger China but appear to reimpose some restrictions that had been lifted by the Trump administration. The department announced the changed policy in a statement that said the Biden administration intends to “liberalize” the rules to reflect the “deepening unofficial relationship” between the U.S. and Taiwan. However, the revised guidelines don’t include all the changes put in place by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the waning days of the Trump administration. Pompeo had lifted virtually all restrictions on contacts with Taiwan, including allowing Taiwanese military officers to wear uniforms and display the Taiwanese flag at meetings with U.S. officials. Friday’s changes were silent on those matters, although the rules do continue to permit U.S. officials to meet their Taiwanese counterparts in federal buildings. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and opposes any attempt to treat the island as an independent country. China had condemned Pompeo's easing of the restrictions that had been in place since the U.S. recognized Beijing and dropped formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979. “These new guidelines will continue the U.S. government’s longstanding practice of providing clarity throughout the U.S. executive branch of how to implement our ‘one China’ policy,” the department said. “This new guidance is a step forward from earlier versions, including the contact guidance that was in place for virtually all of the previous administration, by encouraging engagement with Taiwan counterparts and removing unneeded restrictions.” Yet the statement contained no details about the new “contact guidance” and congressional aides briefed on the matter said the changes were actually more restrictive than those Pompeo had rolled out just 11 days before the end of the Trump administration. The department said Pompeo's changes had not made engagement with Taiwan easier but rather “had the practical policy effect of impeding our unofficial engagement with Taiwan — a problem that we are rectifying today with this new guidance.” It was not immediately clear how the new guidance rectified the matter. On Jan. 9, Pompeo issued a sweeping order that rescinded almost all U.S. restrictions on contacts with Taiwan. “The United States government took these actions unilaterally, in an attempt to appease the Communist regime in Beijing. No more," Pompeo said in a statement that announced the “lifting all of these self-imposed restrictions.” He said the U.S.-Taiwan relationship should not “be shackled by self-imposed restrictions of our permanent bureaucracy.” Matthew Lee, The Associated Press
A Lisbon judge ruled Friday to put former Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates on trial for alleged money-laundering and forgery but said the statute of limitations had expired on more than a dozen corruption allegations. Judge Ivo Rosa said that 1.7 million euros ($2 million), much of it in cash, given to Sócrates by a childhood friend who was working for a Portuguese construction company amounted to an attempt to gain influence over the prime minister and win contracts. Sócrates argued that the money and other assets, such as works of art and the use of an upscale Paris apartment, were loans from his longtime friend. The forgery charges relate to documentation linked to the payments. The fact that many payments were in cash and the two men's use of code words in phone conversations when discussing money suggested corrupt acts, but the statute of limitations to prosecute Sócrates on corruption charges has run out, the judge said. The judge dismissed other allegations of corruption against Sócrates either because of a lack of evidence or the statute of limitations. Both prosecutors and Sócrates can appeal Friday's ruling. Prosecutors alleged that Sócrates pocketed around 34 million euros ($40 million) during and after his six years in office between 2005 and 2011. Sócrates, 63, who was a centre-left Socialist prime minister, has denied any wrongdoing. He was suspected of being at the centre of a web of shady corporate interests that paid for his influence to win contracts and gain business advantages in the construction, banking and telecommunications sectors. The charges reportedly run to some 5,000 pages. The case has gripped Portugal since Sócrates’ arrest at Lisbon Airport in 2014, and the judge took the rare step of allowing Friday’s proceedings to be broadcast live. Translating tens of thousands of pages of documents from French and English contributed to delaying the case, but the Portuguese legal system is notoriously slow and the subject of frequent criticism. Prosecutors complain about a lack of resources. In office, Sócrates won renown as a modernizer. His governments introduced laws allowing same-sex marriages and abortion, and championed the country’s green energy sector. Internationally, he helped steer to completion the Lisbon Treaty, known as the European Union’s rule book, which was signed in the Portuguese capital under the country’s six-month EU presidency in 2007. Sócrates was also in power when Portugal needed a 78-billion-euro ($92 billion) international bailout in 2011, amid Europe’s debt crisis. Police investigations later cast a cloud over his reputation. He was jailed for nine months after his arrest before being placed under house arrest and then freed on bail. Barry Hatton, The Associated Press
Tyler Gambln, the 20-year-old Saint John man who stabbed a friend to death last summer, apologized Friday to the victim's family. When asked at his sentencing hearing if he had anything to say, Gamblin turned to Nathan Gallant's family in the courtroom. "I'm sorry for what I did," he said. "I hope you guys forgive me." Gamblin was originally charged with second-degree murder in the July 8 death of Gallant, 29, but pleaded guilty in January to the lesser offence of manslaughter. He will be sentenced April 16. On Friday, Crown prosecutor Chris Titus asked the court to consider a sentence in the range of eight to 10 years. Defence lawyer Wesley McIntosh asked for considerably less, although he did not mention the range in open court. Justice Darrell Stephenson said he wanted to "take a few days to formulate my thoughts," although he did tell the defence that he "couldn't go there," referring to the sentence proposed by McIntosh. After a day of drinking and smoking marijuana last summer, Gamblin stabbed his friend six times and left him in the ditch on the side of the road near St. Martins. (RCMP) Several members of Gallant's family read their victim impact statements in court. His sister, Kyla Gallant, said she was so shaken by her brother's death that she missed work for six months and had to go to counselling. "Even after seeking help, I'm still finding it hard to piece my life back together and make it through a work day without breaking down." She finished by saying, "I miss you every day, Nathan." Gallant's mother, Diana Hachey, told the court that "grief has become my daily routine." Members of Gallant's family leave the Saint John courthouse on Friday afternoon. From left are his aunt, sister, father and grandmother. (Roger Cosman/CBC) "Living outside my body is the only way I can get through my days," she said. Gallant's aunt, Lisa Gallant, said the family is "physically and emotionally broken." She said her nephew spent several years in the army, but left because he missed his family. She said he was "caring, considerate and would literally give you the shirt off his back." Victim left in the ditch The court heard that Gamblin stabbed Nathan Gallant six times in the ribs after a day of drinking and "smoking weed." According to an agreed statement of facts, Gamblin was at home with his ex-girlfriend Bryanna McGaghey on July 8, when he contacted Gallant in the afternoon to ask if they could hang out. At around 5:30 p.m., the trio, along with Bailey Basque, who was driving, headed to Fairfield, near St. Martins. Along the way, Gamblin and Gallant were "bickering and arguing" about McGaghey, according to the statement of facts. While at their destination, they started getting physical and play wrestling. Kyla Gallant said her brother was a proud member of the gunner community.(Submitted by Kyla Gallant) On the way back, Gallant, who was in the front seat, was "intensely staring" and smiling at McGaghey, who was seated in the rear, behind the driver. At one point, he "lunged" at her. Gamblin told police on July 23 that Gallant was harassing McGaghey. When Gallant continued, Gamblin said, he "snapped" and stabbed him. Basque pulled over to the shoulder, and Gamblin pulled Gallant out of the vehicle and left him on the side of the road. Gamblin soon took off, hiding in the woods that night and eluding police for 15 days.
A small neighbourhood in the West Kootenay has been left in limbo after the only bridge providing access to it was deemed unsafe for large fire trucks to cross. In January, property owners along Pass Creek's Mountain Ridge Road — about seven kilometres north of Castlegar, B.C. — received a letter from Nora Hannon, the fire chief of the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), stating a 25-year-old privately-maintained bridge — which connects Pass Creek and Mountain Ridge Roads — doesn't have an engineer-verified load rating that certifies it's strong enough for heavy fire rescue equipment. "Effective immediately, Pass Creek Fire [Services] will not cross the bridge with large fire apparatus and will not be providing fire suppression to residents in the Mountain Ridge Road area," Hannon said in the letter released Jan. 15. "The safety of RDCK Pass Creek firefighters is paramount. Should further information become available on an engineered current load rating, the RDCK will reconsider this decision," the letter said. Skyrocketing home insurance premiums Vanessa Terwoort, representing the Mountain Ridge Road Users Cooperative Association, says district fire services discovered the bridge's situation after a homeowner in her neighbourhood applied for fire protection. Terwoort says after the fire chief's decision home insurance premiums for the 22 homes along the 700-metre pathway jumped 30 to 60 per cent. "If you do have a house fire, it'll be a complete loss," she said Wednesday to Chris Walker, the host of CBC's Daybreak South. "There won't be anything to save it." In a follow-up letter to Terwoort in March, the RDCK said Mountain Ridge Road has no fire hydrants, which means firefighters have to cross the bridge multiple times to replenish their water supply. Aerial view of the bridge connecting Pass Creek Road and Mountain Ridge Road.(Submitted by Vanessa Terwoort) Terwoort says Mountain Ridge Road property owners hired an engineer in 2012 to assess the bridge's load rating. The structure's maximum capacity was determined to be a seven-axle truck, which she says is more than double the weight of a fire truck. But Regional District of Central Kootenay Fire Services didn't recognize the certification because the engineer no longer works with the company that issued the load rating certification, according to Terwoort. "The decision was then made without a formal review, without a site visit, without hazard risk assessment," she said. "Because the load rating couldn't be confirmed nor denied, it was being considered unsafe and effective immediately, we would no longer have fire protection to our homes." Terwoort says she and fellow homeowners still have to pay property taxes, part of which are used to cover fire services. Early this week, they decided to spend $150,000 to build a new bridge to replace the existing one — in the hope of getting fire services restored. Medical services will continue The district's chief administrative officer, Stuart Horn, says he's mulling over the homeowners' request for property tax furlough until October, the time when the new bridge construction is expected to be complete. Horn also says first responder medical services from the fire department will continue. "We will be looking at everything we can do to support the community as they get this bridge replaced," he said Thursday on Daybreak South. Tap the link below to hear Vanessa Terwoort's interview on Daybreak South: Tap the link below to hear Stuart Horn's interview on Daybreak South:
ROME — Turkey demanded an apology Friday from Italy's premier for having called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “dictator,” a comment that added fuel to a dispute over a perceived seating snub involving a top European Union official. The comment also deepened an EU-Turkey rift at a time when the two sides had hoped for a rapprochement. Italian Premier Mario Draghi made the uncharacteristically undiplomatic comment Thursday at the end of an hour-long news conference devoted to Italy’s coronavirus pandemic response. He was asked his reaction to Erdogan’s treatment of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was left without a chair during a Tuesday meeting in Ankara. Draghi said Erdogan’s behaviour was inappropriate and that he was sorry for the “humiliation” von der Leyen had suffered. “It’s that with these — let’s call them what they are — dictators, who, however one needs ... one must be frank in expressing differences of views, opinions, behaviour, of visions of society ... but also be ready to collaborate, more to co-operate, to collaborate to ensure the interests of one’s country.” Turkey summoned Italy’s ambassador to protest, and a presidential spokesman demanded that Draghi retract his words. “We strongly condemn this rhetoric, which has no place in diplomacy. If Mario Draghi is looking for a dictator, he should look no further than Italy’s history," Erdogan’s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, said Friday. As of Friday evening, Draghi had not apologized publicly or issued a retraction. Turkey has strongly rejected the allegation that von der Leyen was snubbed and insisted it followed the EU’s own protocols in making the seating arrangements. Von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel travelled to Ankara for talks on Turkey-EU relations. Only two chairs were set out in front of the EU and Turkish flags for the three leaders. Von der Leyen watched as the men took the chairs, expressing her astonishment with an “ehm” sound and a gesture of disappointment. She was later seated on a large beige sofa, away from Michel and Erdogan. Michel, for his part, issued a muted mea culpa for his failure to protest the seating arrangement, and said if he could do it again, he would have made sure it showed “respect for everyone.” Michel also said he feared that if he had actively objected, “months of political and diplomatic efforts” to forge better relations with Turkey would have been lost. The visit was supposed to have marked a new phase of relations between the EU and Turkey after months of wrangling over everything from women’s rights to drilling for gas in disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean. The meeting was supposed to centre on improved co-operation on migration and trade, while the EU raised some human rights and rule of law issues, including about Erdogan's decision to pull Turkey out of a key European convention aimed at combating violence against women. All were supposed to seize on a recent conciliatory tone from Erdogan and pave the way for an EU summit in June to cement improved bilateral relations. Daniel Holtgen, spokesperson for the Council of Europe's secretary general, said both the incident over the seating arrangement and the timing were “very unfortunate," given Turkey's withdrawal from the Council's Istanbul Convention on combating domestic violence. Turkish Deputy President Fuat Oktay defended Erdogan, saying the Turkish leader had opposed “all kinds of fascism and tutelage” and “won every election with the highest respect of his people.” “I invite Draghi to apologize,” he said. Draghi’s remarks found support across the political spectrum in Italy. Democratic Party lawmaker Lia Quartapelle tweeted that “Draghi said it like it is,” and right-wing firebrand Matteo Salvini expressed “solidarity and esteem” for Draghi’s assessment. “The intimidation and discrimination by the dictator Turk Erdogan are inacceptable,” said Salvini, who has long demanded that Turkey be kept out of the European Union. A spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel was asked Friday about the seating spat and Draghi's comment. The spokeswoman said Germany had no comment on either. ___ AP correspondent Raf Casert contributed from Brussels. Fraser reported from Ankara. Nicole Winfield And Suzan Fraser, The Associated Press
COVID-19 cases continue to rise domestically and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning people in the U.S. about international travel to Canada.
The Toronto police chief is urging the public to abide by provincial stay-at-home orders. The order, which came into force on Wednesday, is in place for the next four weeks, as Ontario attempts to curb rising case counts. On Friday, Ontario reported another 4,227 cases of COVID-19, the second-most on a single day at any point during the pandemic. "I urge all Torontonians to please comply," said Chief James Ramer in a Saturday news release. "Do not go out unless it's for essential reasons only." Toronto police are not allowed to stop cars or enter homes simply to check if a person is complying with the order, nor can they compel a person who is outside to explain the reason they left their home. However, if officers have "probable grounds to suspect someone has violated" a public health order, they are allowed to ask for identification and a person who refuses can be arrested or charged with obstructing a police officer.
