A look at Ontario’s plan to gradually reopen the province

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The Canadian Press

As Trump prosecutor, delegate gets her say on impeachment

WASHINGTON — Stacey Plaskett couldn’t cast a vote last month when the House impeached former President Donald Trump. But she can help prosecute him. The non-voting delegate from the Virgin Islands is among the impeachment managers selected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to argue the case that Trump incited a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. It’s an extraordinary moment that places Plaskett in the centre of just the fourth impeachment trial of an American president. But there will also be a familiar dynamic when Plaskett walks into the Senate chamber, one that she’s experienced from elementary school through her legal career: being one of the only Black women in the room. Now that Kamala Harris has left the Senate to become vice-president, there are only two Black senators left, both male. The chamber remains overwhelmingly white despite growing diversity in the House. Like most of the impeachment managers, Plaskett brings considerable legal experience to the case, including a stint in the Bronx District Attorney’s office and as a senior counsel at the Justice Department. She said being asked to join the team was an invigorating way to deal with the catastrophic events of Jan. 6, when she and her staff barricaded themselves in her office as the rioters descended on the Capitol. “My method of handling things like this is to work,” Plaskett said, adding that receiving the unexpected call from Pelosi “really gave me a charge and something to do.” As an impeachment manager, it falls to Plaskett and the other Democrats to break through partisan divisions and persuade skeptical Republicans in the Senate — 45 of whom have already voted for an effort to dismiss the case — that they should take the unprecedented step of convicting Trump and barring him from office. To do so, they’ll have to retell the harrowing events of Jan. 6, when hundreds of people, some bearing racist and anti-Semitic symbols on their clothing, terrorized the Capitol and forced lawmakers into hiding. They intend to link it all to Trump, the man they say is “singularly responsible” for the riot by telling his supporters to “fight like hell” against the certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory. Trump’s rhetoric, Plaskett said, was “an attempt to destroy what I believe America is.” As a woman of colour, Plaskett says she’ll be speaking at the trial for individuals who were “particularly traumatized by what happened on January 6th. You know, as an African-American, as a woman seeing individuals storming our most sacred place of democracy, wearing anti-Semitic, racist, neo-Nazi, white supremacy logos on their bodies and wreaking the most vile and hateful things.” The trial also gives Plaskett a chance to work alongside Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the lead impeachment manager who was one of her law school professors at American University’s Washington College of Law. She called him an “incredible man” and said his ability to “be inclusive, and to tease out and to encourage people to share” has brought her back to those days. In turn, Raskin said Plaskett was “truly dazzling” as a law school student. “Other students used to take notes when she spoke and that was amazing to me,” Raskin says. “She struck me quickly in class as a potentially brilliant prosecutor and I encouraged her to take that path. I could not be prouder of her career, and adore her even though she has more seniority than me and teases me about that constantly.” Plaskett was born in the Bronx to parents who moved to the United States from the Virgin Islands. At 13, she started at an exclusive Connecticut boarding school were she says she “continually had to raise my hand and try and speak to non-minority people about actions and events to let them see through a lens that what has happened is, in fact, racist or demonstrates their privilege.” Pelosi’s impeachment team is diverse — including Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse, who is also Black — but Plaskett will be the first manager of a presidential impeachment from a U.S. territory. Plaskett says people in the Virgin Islands — once home to a young Alexander Hamilton — may live in a small place, but don’t think of themselves as small people. “We’re big shots in everything we do,” she said. “Virgin Islanders are always looking for space to be a part of this America and try to make it better, even without a vote,” she said. “I’m going to make sure that their voice and the voice of people from territories representing four million Americans — Puerto Rico and other places — are actually heard.” Padmananda Rama And Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press

ICC clears way for war crimes probe of Israeli actions

JERUSALEM — The International Criminal Court said Friday that its jurisdiction extends to territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, potentially clearing the way for its chief prosecutor to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions. The decision was welcomed by the Palestinians and decried by Israel’s prime minister, who vowed to fight “this perversion of justice.” The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, said it opposed the decision. The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in 2019 that there was a “reasonable basis” to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. But she asked the court to determine whether she has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding. In a statement on Twitter, Bensouda’s office welcomed the “judicial clarity” of the ruling, but said it needed time before deciding how to proceed. “The Office is currently carefully analysing the decision & will then decide its next step guided strictly by its independent & impartial mandate,” it said. The Palestinians, who joined the court in 2015, have pushed for an investigation. Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has said the court has no jurisdiction because the Palestinians do not have statehood and because the borders of any future state are to be decided in peace talks. It also accuses the court of inappropriately wading into political issues. The Palestinians have asked the court to look into Israeli actions during its 2014 war against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, as well as Israel’s construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem. The international community widely considers the settlements to be illegal under international law but has done little to pressure Israel to freeze or reverse their growth. The international tribunal is meant to serve as a court of last resort when countries’ own judicial systems are unable or unwilling to investigate and prosecute war crimes. Israel’s military has mechanisms to investigate alleged wrongdoing by its troops, and despite criticism that the system is insufficient, experts say it has a good chance of fending off ICC investigation into its wartime practices. When it comes to settlements, however, experts say Israel could have a difficult time defending its actions. International law forbids the transfer of a civilian population into occupied territory. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 war, territories the Palestinians want for their future state. Some 700,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians and much of the international community view the settlements as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says east Jerusalem is an indivisible part of its capital and that the West Bank is “disputed” territory whose fate should be resolved in negotiations. While the court would have a hard time prosecuting Israelis, it could issue arrest warrants that would make it difficult for Israeli officials to travel abroad. A case in the ICC would also be deeply embarrassing to the government. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, led the 2014 war in Gaza, while Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz was the military chief of staff at the time. In a videotaped statement released after midnight, Netanyahu accused the court of “pure anti-Semitism” and having a double standard. “The ICC refuses to investigate brutal dictatorships like Iran and Syria, who commit horrific atrocities almost daily,” he said. “We will fight this perversion of justice with all our might!” Nabil Shaath, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, welcomed the decision and said it proved the Palestinians were right to go to the ICC. “This is good news, and the next step is to launch an official investigation into Israel’s crimes against our people,” he said. The ICC could also potentially investigate crimes committed by Palestinians militants. Bensouda has said her probe would look into the actions of Hamas, which fired rockets indiscriminately into Israel during the 2014 war. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration, which has said it intends to restore relations with the Palestinians, opposed the decision and reiterated American opposition to the Palestinians even being party to the Rome Statute that created the court. “As we made clear when the Palestinians purported to join the Rome Statute in 2015, we do not believe the Palestinians qualify as a sovereign state, and therefore are not qualified to obtain membership as a state, or participate as a state in international organizations, entities, or conferences, including the ICC,” Price said in a statement. “We have serious concerns about the ICC’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel,” he said. “The United States has always taken the position that the court’s jurisdiction should be reserved for countries that consent to it, or that are referred by the UN Security Council.” The decision, detailed in a 60-page legal brief, was released late Friday, after Israel had shut down for the weekly Jewish Sabbath. Human Rights Watch welcomed the decision, saying it “finally offers victims of serious crimes some real hope for justice after a half century of impunity.” “It’s high time that Israeli and Palestinian perpetrators of the gravest abuses — whether war crimes committed during hostilities or the expansion of unlawful settlements — face justice,” said Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at the New York-based group. The three-judge pretrial chamber ruled that Palestine is a state party to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC. With one judge dissenting, it ruled that Palestine qualifies as the state on the territory in which the “conduct in question” occurred and that the court’s jurisdiction extends to east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Last year, the Trump administration imposed sanctions against ICC officials, after earlier revoking Bensouda’s entry visa, in response to the court’s attempts to prosecute American troops for actions in Afghanistan. The U.S., like Israel, does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction. At the time, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the steps were meant as retribution for investigations into the United States and its allies, a reference to Israel. The Biden administration has said it will review those sanctions. ___ Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Josef Federman, The Associated Press
CBC

2 B.C. First Nations under state of emergency due to COVID-19

Two First Nations declared a state of emergency this week due to COVID-19, after several cases of the highly infectious disease were detected. The McLeod Lake Indian Band has been under lockdown since Wednesday due to an outbreak that saw three elders test positive and one die. The Lower Similkameen Indian Band also has cases of COVID-19. A state of emergency was declared on Jan. 30. In a written statement Wednesday, McLeod Lake Indian Band Chief Harley Chingee said elder Sheri Solonas passed away Tuesday due to the virus. He asked band members to stay home. “While I recognize that this would be a time for our families to gather, support one another and mourn, there is no more important time than to stay within your immediate family household bubble. I urge you all to connect via phone and computer to support your loved ones while the current outbreak in our community is being contained,” Chingee wrote. Besides a mandatory stay-at-home order, the lockdown measures include the closure of the McLeod Lake Indian Band’s administration office. “The only band employee that has been allowed past the security line [to access the office] is the band manager,” said Deputy Chief Jayde Duranleau. “Everyone is working from home or virtually.” In the statement, Chingee also said if members break the stay-at-home order, they won’t be allowed back until the lockdown ends. “Please understand that these measures are only in effect to protect us all and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable members in the community,” he wrote. He said groceries and other essential services would be delivered to members’ homes on Friday.
The Canadian Press

Nets rookie head coach Steve Nash proud to be part of Canadian pipeline

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Steve Nash is only the second Canadian to become an NBA head coach, but the Hall of Famer is just proud to be part of the northern pipeline that’s helping stock NBA rosters and coaching staffs. “It’s not like I said I had to be the second coach from Canada. I’m proud of Jay Triano, who was my Olympic coach and our first coach” Nash said. Triano became Canada’s first head coach with Toronto in 2008. Nash and the Brooklyn Nets hosted the Raptors on Friday, and shortly before tipoff the rookie head coach talked about the impact Canada’s lone NBA team has had on the game. “I’m proud of all the growth that the national team program and basketball in general has had in Canada, in large part due to the Raptors,” Nash said. “Just to be a part of that fabric is important to me and a source of pride. “I’ve gotten a lot of joy out of seeing the success of so many others, whether it’s Jay or any of the other (assistant) coaches who have made their way to the NBA, and obviously the amount of players we now have in the NBA. It’s cool to see Canada have such a growing impact on the game.” Nash and Nick Nurse go back to the late 1990s, when Nurse was coaching the Manchester Giants of the British league. Nash was overseas visiting his brother Martin, who was playing soccer for Bolton, and joined Nurse’s team for some practices. “To watch his career evolve has been amazing,” Nash said of Nurse, who earned coach of the year after guiding the Raptors to an NBA title. “He’s a brilliant basketball coach. To come from that side of the basketball world is incredible and a great story. To see him reach the mountain top in 2019 was incredible.” The admiration is mutual. “Obviously he’s done a really good job,” Nurse said of the 46-year-old Nash. “And he’s a great basketball mind, as you know. I think he’s got incredible temperament. You know, 20 games into your coaching career, he’s doing a hell of a job.” The Nets were 14-9 and boasted the league’s highest-scoring offence heading into Friday’s game against Toronto. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2021. The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press

EXPLAINER: How Trump’s second impeachment trial will work

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial begins Tuesday, forcing the Senate to decide whether to convict him of incitement of insurrection after a violent mob of his supporters laid siege to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. While Trump’s acquittal is expected, all 100 senators will first have to sit at their desks and listen to hours of graphic testimony from House Democrats about the riots, which left five people dead. The House impeached Trump on Jan. 13, one week after the violence. A look at the basics of the upcoming impeachment trial: HOW DOES THE TRIAL WORK? The Constitution says the House has the sole power of impeachment while the Senate has the sole power to try the individual on the charges. The person being impeached — who can be the president, the vice-president or any civil officer of the United States — can be convicted by two-thirds of the senators present. The House appoints managers as prosecutors who set up on the Senate floor, along with the defendant’s lawyers, to present their case. The prosecutors and Trump’s defence team will have a set amount of time to make arguments, and then senators can ask questions in writing before a final vote. The chief justice of the United States normally presides over the trial of a president, but because Trump has left office, the presiding officer will be Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who is the ceremonial head of the Senate as the longest-serving member of the majority party. Once the senators reach a final vote on the impeachment charge — this time there is just one, incitement of insurrection — each lawmaker will stand up and cast their vote: guilty or not guilty. HOW LONG WILL THE TRIAL LAST? Unclear. The Senate has to agree to the rules of the trial, and party leaders are still working out the details. Trump’s first impeachment trial, in which he was acquitted on charges that he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden, lasted almost three weeks. But this one is expected to be shorter, as the case is less complicated and the senators know many of the details already, having been in the Capitol during the insurrection. And while the Democrats want to ensure they have enough time to make their case, they do not want to tie up the Senate for long. The Senate cannot confirm Biden’s Cabinet nominees and move forward with their legislative priorities, such as COVID-19 relief, until the trial is complete. WHY TRY TRUMP WHEN HE IS OUT OF OFFICE? Republicans and Trump’s lawyers argue that the trial is unnecessary, and even unconstitutional, because Trump is no longer president and cannot be removed from office. Democrats disagree, pointing to opinions of many legal scholars and the impeachment of a former secretary of war, William Belknap, who resigned in 1876 just hours before he was impeached over a kickback scheme. While Belknap was eventually acquitted, the Senate held a full trial. And this time, the House impeached Trump while he was still president, seven days before Biden’s inauguration. If Trump were convicted, the Senate could take a second vote to bar him from holding office again. Democrats feel that would be an appropriate punishment after he told the angry mob of his supporters to “fight like hell” to overturn his election defeat. Democrats also argue that there should not be a “January exception” for presidents who commit impeachable offences just before they leave office. They say the trial is necessary not only to hold Trump properly accountable but also so they can deal with what happened and move forward. “You cannot go forward until you have justice,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week. “If we were not to follow up with this, we might as well remove any penalty from the Constitution of impeachment.” HOW IS THIS TRIAL DIFFERENT FROM TRUMP’S FIRST TRIAL? Trump’s first trial was based on evidence uncovered over several months by the House about a private phone call between Trump and the president of Ukraine, as well as closed-door meetings that happened before and afterward. Democrats held a lengthy investigation and then compiled a report of their findings. In contrast, the second trial will be based almost entirely on the visceral experience of a riot that targeted the senators themselves, in the Capitol building. The insurrectionists even breached the Senate chamber, where the trial will be held. The fresh memories of Jan. 6 could make it easier for the House impeachment managers to make their case, but it doesn’t mean the outcome will be any different. Trump was acquitted in his first trial a year ago Friday with only one Republican, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, voting to convict, and there may not be many more guilty votes this time around. In a test vote Jan. 26, only five Senate Republicans voted against an effort to dismiss the trial — an early indication that Trump is likely to be acquitted again. WHAT WILL TRUMP’S LAWYERS ARGUE? Beyond the constitutionality of the trial, Trump’s lawyers say that he did not incite his supporters to violence and that he did nothing wrong. “It is denied that President Trump ever endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government,” they wrote in a brief for the trial. “It is denied he threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch Government.” Trump’s lawyers also say he was protected by the First Amendment to “express his belief that the election results were suspect.” There was no widespread fraud in the election, as Trump claimed falsely over several months and again to his supporters just before the insurrection. Election officials across the country, and even former Attorney General William Barr, contradicted his claims, and dozens of legal challenges to the election put forth by Trump and his allies were dismissed. WHAT WOULD ACQUITTAL MEAN FOR TRUMP? A second impeachment acquittal by the Senate would be a victory for Trump — and would prove he retains considerable sway over his party, despite his efforts to subvert democracy and widespread condemnation from his GOP colleagues after Jan. 6. Still, acquittal may not be the end of attempts to hold him accountable. Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, floated a censure resolution after last month’s vote made clear that Trump was unlikely to be convicted. While they haven’t said yet if they will push for a censure vote after the impeachment trial, Kaine said this week that “the idea is out there on the table and it may become a useful idea down the road.” ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. By Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press

Reopening debate testing Biden’s ties with teachers unions

The increasingly heated school reopening debate is forcing President Joe Biden to balance two priorities: getting children back into the classroom and preserving the support of powerful labour groups that helped him get elected. Following weeks of standoff in some cities and states where teachers unions are demanding vaccines as a condition of reopening, the issue came to a head Wednesday when Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said vaccination of teachers “is not a prerequisite for safe reopening of schools.” But in a juggling of positions, the White House declined to back Walensky, saying she was speaking “in her personal capacity.” Asked Friday about her earlier comments, Walensky punted. So far, it doesn’t appear that the issue is driving a wedge between Biden and the unions. Even those demanding vaccines say shots would not be required if schools were taking other steps to make buildings safe. Walensky on Wednesday cited CDC data showing that social distancing and wearing a mask significantly reduce the spread of the virus in school settings. Just a week earlier, the agency issued a study similarly finding that, with mask wearing and other precautions, it’s generally safe to hold in-person schooling. To many Republicans and some on the left, Walensky’s comment was seen as an endorsement to reopen schools immediately. Some believed it discredited teachers unions that have demanded vaccines before returning to in-person instruction. Unions, however, largely met it with a shrug. With the right mix of safety measures in places, teachers unions generally agree the vaccines aren’t a condition for reopening. The problem is that many schools are far behind on ventilation updates and other important measures recommended by health officials, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “Vaccinations go from a priority to essential if you can’t do some of these basic mitigation strategies,” Weingarten said. “Rather than keep these schools closed for months, why not vaccinate teachers more quickly?” Even among state and local unions that have taken a harder line on vaccinations, Walensky’s comment drew little fire. The California Teachers Association is pushing for all teachers to be vaccinated but it’s largely because many schools “aren’t anywhere close” to making buildings safe through other methods, said Claudia Briggs, a union spokesperson. Briggs applauded the Biden administration’s response, saying the president has made clear that teacher safety is of “paramount importance.” She cited his proposal for $130 billion in additional pandemic relief to help schools reopen. In Chicago, vaccinations have been a major sticking point between the city and the teachers union as they work to negotiate a return to the classroom. At a Friday news conference held by the Chicago Teachers Union, special education teacher Dawn Kelly said teachers want to return but feel they aren’t being protected. “We want to come back to school. I miss my babies, I want to hug my students, I want to sit on the carpet and do read-alongs, but right now it’s just not safe,” she said. Despite the seemingly definitive statement from the CDC, the White House has declined to take a firm stance on teacher vaccinations. Asked about it on Thursday, Biden press secretary Jen Psaki said Walensky was speaking “in her personal capacity” and that the White House would await updated school guidance that Biden has requested from the CDC. “Obviously she’s the head of the CDC, but we’re going to wait for the final guidance to come out so we can use that as a guide for schools around the country,” Psaki said. Biden has pledged to reopen most of the nation’s K-8 schools within his first 100 days in office, a goal he says is possible if Congress approves his pandemic rescue plan and if states prioritize teachers in vaccine rollouts. In many states, teachers are being included early in a second wave of shots. But the plan has drawn fire from critics who say Biden is cowing to teachers unions who see him as an ally. Both of the nation’s two major teachers unions endorsed Biden for president, including the National Education Association, whose 3 million members include first lady Jill Biden, who is a longtime community college professor. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said efforts to get students back in the classroom have been blocked by “rich, powerful unions that donate huge sums to Democrats and get a stranglehold over education in many communities.” “An administration that puts facts and science first would be conducting a full-court press to open schools,” he said on the Senate floor Wednesday. Some on the left have issued similar rebukes, including former New York Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg, who said on MSNBC that Biden must “stand up” to teachers unions and force a return to the classroom. In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom cited Walensky’s comment as evidence that it’s safe to reopen schools before all teachers get vaccines. He has been pressing schools to reopen for weeks, but so far it appears the CDC’s finding has done little to persuade teachers to return. Vaccine shortages and slow rollouts have jeopardized Biden’s reopening plan as more schools delay in-person instruction. Leaders in some districts have expressed doubt that they will bring all students back for in-person instruction until next school year. The Biden administration says it hopes to accelerate openings by boosting funding and helping schools implement virus testing. Miguel Cardona, Biden’s pick for education secretary, has said he’s prepared to help reopen schools safely even if teachers have not all been vaccinated. Weingarten, of the AFT, said Biden’s proposed pandemic relief would go far toward getting schools opened. But even if Congress approves it, she said, it could be months before schools receive it and make necessary fixes. Instead of scapegoating teachers, though, she said blame should fall to the Trump administration for failing to deliver vaccines sooner and to districts that have failed to update buildings for years. “There’s not a lot of trust for districts because we’ve had years and years of austerity budgets, and we know that the facilities are not what they should be,” she said. “It shouldn’t take a pandemic to fix ventilation systems.” ___ Associated Press writer Don Babwin contributed to this report. Collin Binkley, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press

Fox Business cancels ‘Lou Dobbs Tonight’ after a decade

LOS ANGELES — Fox Business Network’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” whose host has trumpeted unfounded assertions of voter fraud in the 2020 election, has been cancelled. In a statement Friday, Fox News said the move was part of routine programming alterations that it had foreshadowed in an announcement last fall. Fox News “regularly considers programming changes and plans have been in place to launch new formats as appropriate post-election, including on Fox Business — this is part of those planned changes,” the company said. Whether the cancellation ends Dobbs’ career with Fox News wasn’t addressed, and the company had no further comment. The former CNN host started his show at Fox in March 2011. The statement appeared to distance the show’s end from a multibillion-dollar defamation suit filed against Fox and three of its hosts, including Dobbs, by the election technology company Smartmatic. In a previous statement, Fox News said it would “vigorously defend against this meritless lawsuit in court.” The replacement for “Lou Dobbs Tonight” will be announced soon, Fox News said. The show last aired on Friday, with a guest hosting sitting in for Dobbs, who had no immediate statement. An interim show, “Fox Business Tonight,” will air starting 5 p.m. Eastern Monday with rotating hosts Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman and repeat at 7 p.m. EST. Lynn Elber, The Associated Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Winnipeg mayor asks firefighters union to acknowledge existence of systemic racism amid call for resignations

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman asks that the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg (UFFW) acknowledge the existence of systemic racism within its ranks and to share their efforts to address it, amid calls from the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) for the resignation of four Winnipeg firefighters following a troubling incident last year. The Mayor’s appeal and the MMF’s call comes from a recent report by Equitable Solutions, which suggested that four Winnipeg firefighters showed a lack of concern over an injured Indigenous woman in the city. The report noted that while there was no explicit bias in the patient’s treatment, it did state the firefighters demonstrated some apathy for the patient’s physical and emotional well-being. “I am urging the UFFW and frankly, other leaders throughout the community within the City of Winnipeg workforce to acknowledge that systemic racism exists because it needs to be said, and it needs to be said often,” said Bowman during a media availability on Friday. “Dealing with systemic racism takes a lot of effort over a lot of time, and we have to remain honest enough to acknowledge that it is an ongoing process.” Though the report primarily puts attention to the issues raised by a paramedic who faced harassment in the workplace, there was an additional layer of racial bias that was acknowledged and confirmed by the report. According to Kristin Cuma, the Communications Officer for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS), this incident happened last October. “The WFPS remains committed to providing education to all employees to ensure events like these do not happen again. We are also committed to ensuring that we follow the mandatory processes outlined in the provisions of our collective agreements,” she said. “While the third-party investigation into the incident is complete, the required disciplinary process is ongoing. Appropriate action will be taken through those processes. All human resources activities related to individuals are confidential and specific details will not be provided.” In a press release, UFFW President Alex Forrest said the union will not be making any statements presently until after all of the issues and information is addressed and the disciplinary meetings have concluded. “We will respond at the appropriate time in a professional manner so that it does not prejudice the ability of our members to defend themselves from these accusations. We will be defending our members to the fullest extent possible, and we believe that our members will be vindicated,” said Forrest. He added that the issue of racism is serious and therefore asks all Winnipeg citizens to not make any conclusions until all the facts are presented. On Thursday, the MMF called for the resignation of the firefighters who showed a lack of care towards the injured Indigenous woman. “We have the utmost respect for the work that firefighters and paramedics do, putting themselves in harm’s way and enduring the dangers of their job,” said David Chartrand, President of the MMF. “But that respect has to work both ways. Individuals within the firefighting community cannot make decisions and judgements about who receives help and who doesn’t base on their appearance, social status, race or gender.” Due to this bias, the MMF urges that immediate action to deal with the firefighters in question should be taken. Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Nicole Wong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
Local Journalism Initiative

Widow speaks out after husband shot by neighbour at Dinorwic residence

DINORWIC, Ont. — The widow of a 75-year-old Dinorwic man gunned down in their home says she still has problems sleeping as she comes to terms with what happened three months ago. “I would just like to get answers,” Linda McLeod said in an interview this week with Thunder Bay Television. “We lost a husband, father.” On Nov. 5, 2020, McLeod’s husband, Rick, was shot and killed inside their home by their 48-year-old neighbour, Daniel Lethbridge. McLeod said she and her husband were sitting at their kitchen table that evening when Lethbridge entered their residence at approximately 5: 30 p.m. “Dan opened the door and shot Rick once…I kind of ducked because I wasn’t sure what was going on and then Rick said ‘Linda’ and I went to turn around and that’s when Dan had shot him again.” McLeod said Lethbridge looked at her for a few seconds before shutting the door and leaving. She phoned 911 and mentioned to the dispatcher to send a fire truck, having seen Lethbridge’s garage was on fire. “I was on the floor trying to revive my husband and my son came over because he had heard the shots,” McLeod said. OPP won’t reveal McLeod’s husband’s cause of death at this time, saying certain information could reveal investigation sources. Just days before, McLeod and her husband had been outside barbecuing when they heard a commotion between Lethbridge and another neighbour. “Dan was beating up Bill and he’s 75 years old so Rick was helping Dan off Bill and everything and I guess they were doing a lot of yelling and screaming and eventually the cops came,” McLeod said. She said Lethbridge was charged with having bear spray in his possession and for assault. “[The police] had wanted to go into Dan’s place and he wouldn’t let them go so they had to get a warrant,” McLeod said. On Nov. 4, 2020, OPP executed a drug search warrant on Lethbridge’s property in Southworth Township where 406 cannabis plants were seized as well as 19 firearms. OPP on Nov. 5, 2020 in a news release said Lethbridge had been released from custody. “I don’t know if he got out on bail or if they released him. I just got home from work,” McLeod said, noting it was shortly afterwards her husband was shot twice. While OPP were investigating McLeod’s husband’s death, they were also called to a neighbouring property for a house fire. The next day, police located human remains. Nearly three months after the discovery, OPP announced the Office of the Chief Coroner had identified the human remains as Daniel Lethbridge. Lethbridge had moved to Dinorwic approximately five years before the shooting, McLeod said. Her husband and Lethbridge maintained a civil relationship and often times would go fishing together. “He would come over for a visit…Rick would take him fishing as the years went, he was a very quiet person, liked to keep to himself more or less,” McLeod said. But there were times Lethbridge showed a different side to people, McLeod said. “One minute he would be fine, the next he would be creating problems, the next minute he would be waving to you,” she said. McLeod said she is still in the shock stage as she tries to understand her husband’s death. “I am not sure how to make sense of anything. I don’t know why he got out especially when he had all those guns,” she said. “Why didn’t they check his other property because he had a camp with more guns there.” McLeod is also dealing with rumours surrounding her husband’s death in the community. “People say Rick ratted Dan out which he never did, we never even knew he had all that pot in the house or any of that,” she said. She hopes the police investigation reveals the truth, while also providing her with the answers she seeks. “I want to know [the police] did everything right and didn’t drop the ball,” she said. For now, McLeod has issues sleeping and is left only with the memories of her husband, a man she described as someone who loved to fish, hunt and always enjoyed life. “He was always willing to help everybody,” she said. OPP continue to investigate the circumstances of both deaths. Karen Edwards, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source
The Canadian Press

5 key questions for Trump’s Senate impeachment trial

WASHINGTON — Arguments begin Tuesday in the impeachment trial of Donald Trump on allegations that he incited the violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. A look at five key questions about what to expect when senators hear the case against the former president in the very chamber that was besieged by insurrectionists : _____ WILL TRUMP BE CONVICTED? It’s unlikely. While many Republicans were harshly critical of Trump for telling supporters to “fight like hell” and go to the Capitol, their criticism has since softened. The shift was evident during a Jan. 26 test vote. Only five Republican senators voted against a motion that was aimed at dismissing the trial. It will take a two-thirds vote of the 100-member Senate to convict Trump of the impeachment charge, which is “incitement of insurrection.” If all 50 Democrats voted to convict him, 17 Republicans would have to join them to reach that threshold. Most Republicans have avoided defending Trump’s actions the day of the riot. Instead, lawmakers have argued that the trial is unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office. Democrats and many legal scholars disagree. After the January test vote, many Republicans indicated Trump’s acquittal was a foregone conclusion. “Do the math,” said Maine Sen. Susan Collins, one of the five Republicans who voted to move forward with the trial. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he thought the vote was a “floor not a ceiling” of Republican support to acquit. Still, some Republicans said they were waiting to hear the arguments at trial. Ohio Sen. Rob Portman voted for the effort to dismiss, but said that constitutionality “is a totally different issue” than whether Trump is guilty of incitement. ___ HOW DO TRUMP’S LAWYERS MOUNT A Defence WITHOUT ANGERING THE SENATE? It’s a tough needle to thread. Trump’s team is likely to try and remove the emotion from the case and focus on legal and practical arguments against conviction. In their first filing for the trial, his lawyers made clear that they will challenge the constitutionality of the trial now that Trump has left the White House. That could give an out to Republican senators who are inclined to acquit the former president without condoning his behaviour. The defence could also argue the trial is pointless with Trump no longer president, because removal from office is the automatic punishment for an impeachment conviction. Democrats note that after a conviction, the Senate also could bar Trump from holding public office in the future. To the extent that defence lawyers are forced to grapple head-on with the violence and chaos of Jan. 6, they probably will concede the horror of that day but blame it on the rioters who stormed the Capitol. Trump’s lawyers assert that Trump never incited the insurrection. ___ HOW DO THE HOUSE IMPEACHMENT MANAGERS GET THROUGH TO SKEPTICAL REPUBLICANS? It won’t be easy. For the prosecutors, the bottom line is that the riot wouldn’t have happened without Trump, so he must be held to account. It’s a simple case that Democrats feel doesn’t need to be exaggerated, especially because five people died amid the chaos, and senators were victims themselves. The Senate quickly evacuated just as the insurrectionists were pushing up stairwells close to the chamber. Once senators were gone, rioters broke in and rifled through the lawmakers’ desks. In a brief filed last week previewing their arguments, the House impeachment managers used stark imagery and emotional appeals to argue Trump’s guilt. Their filing said senators were “feet away” from the swarming rioters, and noted that those outside “wearing Trump paraphernalia shoved and punched Capitol Police officers, gouged their eyes, assaulted them with pepper spray and projectiles.” In the House, the impeachment managers wrote, “terrified members were trapped in the Chamber; they prayed and tried to build makeshift defences while rioters smashed the entryway … some Members called loved ones for fear that they would not survive the assault by President Trump’s insurrectionist mob.” Those scenes will be brought to life at the trial. Prosecutors are expected to play video of the attack during their presentations. ___ WILL WE HEAR FROM TRUMP? That doesn’t seem likely. He’s rejected through his lawyers a request by impeachment managers to testify. A subpoena seeking to compel his testimony isn’t expected at this point. Trump also no longer has access to Twitter, which he relied on extensively during his first impeachment trial last year to attack the case against him and to retweet messages, videos and other posts from Republicans haranguing Democrats. With Trump at his Florida resort, his lawyers will be left to make arguments on his behalf. Democrats pledged to hold Trump’s unwillingness to testify against him at trial, but the argument may not resonate. It’s not clear that Republican senators — even the many who are likely to acquit him — really want to hear from him. ___ WHAT HAPPENS IF TRUMP’S ACQUITTED? The likelihood of Trump’s acquittal worries some senators, who fear the consequences for the country. Some have floated the possibility of censuring Trump after the trial to ensure that he is punished in some way for the riot. But there also may be another way for Congress to bar Trump from holding future office. In an opinion piece published last month in The Washington Post, Yale law professor Bruce Ackerman and Indiana University law professor Gerard Magliocca suggested Congress could turn to a provision of the 14th Amendment that is aimed at preventing people from holding federal office if they are deemed to have “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against” the Constitution. The professors wrote that if a majority vote of both houses agree that Trump engaged in an act of “insurrection or rebellion,” then he would be barred from running for the White House again. Only a two-thirds vote of each chamber of Congress in the future could undo that result. Eric Tucker And Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Death related to COVID-19 reported in North Central zone Friday

The province of Saskatchewan reported three deaths related to COVID-19 on Friday including one in the North Central zone. The death in the North Central was in the 80-years-old and over age group. There was also a death in the adjacent North East zone, which includes communities such as Melfort, Tisdale and Nipawin, in the 60 to 69 age group. The third death was in the 70 to 79 age group in the Far North West zone. The number of deaths in the province has grown to 332. There were 269 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the province on Tuesday. The North Central zone, which includes Prince Albert, reported 21 new cases. North Central 2, which is Prince Albert, has 93 active cases. North Central 1, which includes communities such as Christopher Lake, Candle Lake and Meath Park, has 46 active cases and North Central 3 has 48 active cases. Three cases were found to be duplicates and removed from the North West, Regina and South East zones. There are currently 224 people in hospital overall in the province. Of the 196 reported as receiving in patient care there are 26 in North Central. Of the 28 people reported as being in intensive care there is one in North Central. The province also noted that total hospitalizations (in-patient and ICU) include both infectious and non-infectious COVID-19 cases receiving care. The current seven-day average is 225, or 18.4 cases per 100,000 population. Of the 24,946 reported COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, 2,299 are considered active. The recovered number now sits at 22,315 after 229 more recoveries were reported. The total numbers of cases since the beginning of the pandemic is 24,946 of those 6,563 cases are from the North area (2,587 north west, 2,951 north central and 1,025 north east). There were 2,099 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered yesterday in Saskatchewan bringing the total number of vaccines administered in the province to 38,710. With 5,850 doses having arrived in the province this week and the overages due to efficiencies in drawing extra doses from vials of vaccine received, 100 per cent of the doses received have been administered to date. With this allotment Phase One of vaccinations will continue in Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Yorkton and North Battleford. Saskatchewan’s Moderna shipment of 6,000 doses has arrived at Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory. Ground transportation for the doses going to the South East, North East, Central West, and Far North West will begin late Friday afternoon. Air transportation for the Far North Central and Far North East will begin on Saturday, Feb. 6. Saskatchewan is scheduled to receive 11,700 Pfizer doses the week of March 1 and 11,700 doses on the week of March 8. Back-dated corrections submitted to February 2 have realized an additional 84 doses of vaccine administered in the Central East zone. There were 3,317 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan on Feb. 4. As of today there have been 521,073 COVID-19 tests performed in Saskatchewan. The province also announced additional enforcement of public health measures on Friday. On the week of Feb. 1 SHA public health inspectors issued seven individual tickets for failure to abide by public health orders. Each of these tickets was for $2,800. Note that under the Health Information and Privacy Act, the Ministry of Health cannot disclose the names of individuals who have received fines. 50 active COVID-19 cases in youth in North Central On Thursday the province released the updated numbers on COVID-19 cases in youth. The total active cases in youth provincially in all locations are 601, five have no known location and 596 have a location reported. The province releases the update on the numbers each Thursday. Currently in the North Central zone, which includes Prince Albert, there are 50 active cases in youth. Last week there were 266 tests performed across the North Central zone. North Central 2, which is Prince Albert, has 27 active cases in youth. North Central 1, which includes communities such as Christopher Lake, Candle Lake and Meath Park, has nine active cases and North Central 3 has 14 active cases. Cumulative tests performed since Sept. 7, 2020 in the North Central zone is 5,315. Provincially there is a 15.9 per cent test positivity rate in youth. There were 2,459 tests performed in total in the province in the last week. The cumulative number of tests performed since Sept. 7, 2020 is 69,505. Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Albert Daily Herald
Local Journalism Initiative

Ontario Nations find themselves losing ground with AFN processes

The Chiefs of Ontario (COO) began laying the groundwork at its virtual Special Chiefs Assembly Feb. 3 and Feb. 4 to distinguish themselves from some approaches taken by the Assembly of First Nations. Some of the most telling work comes in the yet-to-be-finalized restructuring of the COO. “There are areas of the AFN charter renewal work that impact our regional offices and national relationships,” said Rocky Bay First Nation Chief Melvin Hardy, who chairs the restructuring committee. “Such as a need to clarify the regional chiefs’ responsibility to the AFN and accountability to First Nations that elect them in their respective regions. We need to articulate these relationships and accountabilities in the COO governing documents.” Those governing documents, currently being revised or drafted, include the Ontario Regional Chief’s (ORC) oath of office, the interim services agreement for the ORC, and the COO charter. Hardy is a COO alternative representative on the AFN charter renewal committee which has been in its process for the past couple of years. “At this time there appears to be some inconsistencies between the AFN governing documents and Chiefs of Ontario current governing and accountability structures… The AFN states that the regional chiefs are bound by the AFN charter and code of conduct. However, the Chiefs of Ontario draft charter has the Ontario Regional Chief exclusively accountable to the Chiefs-in-Assembly in Ontario. So we want to avoid potential conflict arising where the regional chief is encouraged to be accountable to two different organizations simultaneously,” said Hardy. The oath of office for the ORC will be changing. Historically, the oath has been one of confidentiality. Now, said Pam Hunter, advisor with COO, that oath will be “a little more involved.” “It’s a new document the committees and leadership council felt is appropriate to have in place for an Ontario regional chief. It helps to clarify some roles, responsibilities, and obligations to the organization,” said Hunter. Documentation will be provided to chiefs prior to the All Ontario Chiefs Conference in June when decisions could be made. Additionally, upon the recommendation of Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald, Ontario region has given notice to the AFN to withdraw from the AFN’s education process. Archibald is past education portfolio holder for AFN. Yesterday, COO passed a resolution mandating the Ontario First Nations Education Coordination Unit to develop recommendations for an education bi-lateral process with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). “These are exciting times,” said Batchewana First Nation Chief Dean Sayers, who moved the resolution. COO’s consideration of its own education table with ISC is because Ontario First Nations lost funds due to a national formula set out by the AFN education process, said Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Derek Fox, who is charge of the education file for COO. Fox told chiefs earlier in the day that funding allocation had dropped from 23 per cent to 19 per cent. “It was up until about a month-and-a-half ago or so roughly that the regional chief called me and Murray Maracle, had an emergency meeting and … we decided as a group that we would pull ourselves from … the AFN National Chiefs Committee on Education and they proposed a bilateral table with ISC,” he said. Murray Maracle, interim director of the education file, said Ontario’s attempt to fix “what was wrong” has been unsuccessful. He said the formula used to distribute the funding was too simplistic for a “very complex issue.” “Over the past 12 months we have lost $5 million in Ontario. That’s a huge amount of money. The process is … that when we go to the table we have one vote and we’re usually outvoted because there are more people to gain from that process than lose. Because Ontario is the largest region we are the one the money usually comes from,” he said. Maracle said since pulling out of the AFN process, Ontario had lost $1.6 million through the post-secondary partnerships program. However, he said, Archibald “did some great work. The institute consortium did some great work” and managed to restore that $1.6 million. Maracle noted that an interim funding formula bilateral table was already operating with ISC. “I think pulling out of AFN gave us some temporary relief. I think we have to put some work into AFN to change the process to make it a better process,” he said. Another process that promises to cause a rift between COO and AFN is their approach to dealing with the federal government. While AFN continues to champion co-development of federal legislation and programs, the COO passed a resolution in 2019 opposing that approach. “An important consideration to keep in mind is that we do have a Special Chiefs in Assembly resolution 13-19 that rejects the process of co-developing legislation with Canada, and this resolution was passed to make sure that the rights and title holders are equal partners in legislation that’s drafted. So it does not support the co-development process that the AFN does with Canada directly because to date that hasn’t been First Nations’ led,” said COO Justice Sector director Sarah-Grace Ross. The issue was raised because of work COO is undertaking on policing legislation. Ross reminded chiefs that the no co-development parameter had to be followed unless a resolution was passed to specifically employ co-development with the policing legislation. “The task before us is to respect the parameters of the resolution, but also make sure that the complexity and the size and the needs of First Nations in Ontario are heard by the AFN as they start their work,” said Ross. Sayers said his observation on co-developed legislation is not favourable. “It’s just like going through the motions and once (the federal government) announce what the legislation is going to look like it didn’t even reflect any of our input,” said Sayers. “I think we even at one point suggested we hold the pen and we develop the first draft of the legislation for them to incorporate into the settler laws if it’s about us,” he said. Ross said she will be speaking with the AFN to see “how will this be different and roll out differently from past co-development legislation.” Windspeaker.com By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com, Windspeaker.com
Reuters

Jennifer Lawrence reported hurt by flying glass on movie set

Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence was hit near the eye by flying glass while filming her new movie in Boston, celebrity website TMZ and the Boston Globe reported on Friday. Glass from a controlled explosion on the set of “Don’t Look Up” cut Lawrence’s eyelid and left her bleeding, TMZ said. The Boston Globe said the extent of the injury was unclear in the accident that happened after midnight on Thursday.
Local Journalism Initiative

Business confidence hitting COVID lows

It’s hardly a surprise, but it is official that business confidence has reached a grim low according to the 2020 Ontario Economic Report released by the The Ontario Chamber of Commerce in late January. The report is largely based on the chamber’s Business Confidence Survey, which goes out to 60,000 members in 135 communities across the province. “The current health and economic crisis have had a considerable impact on our economy. Only 21 per cent of businesses are confident in Ontario’s economic outlook – a historic low – reflecting the stark reality in which businesses continue to grapple with the financial and logistical challenges of operating under a pandemic,” said Rocco Rossi, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The report also draws attention to the unpredictability that lies ahead for area businesses, and highlights the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on small businesses and entrepreneurs as well as specific regions and sectors. “Our small business members are the least confident in the province’s economy, as they continue to face unprecedented liquidity constraints, increased costs, the reduced revenues,” said Amy Kirkland, executive director of the 1000 Islands Gananoque Chamber of Commerce. The report found that only 21 per cent of survey respondents expressed confidence in Ontario’s economic outlook, and fewer than half (48 per cent) of Ontario businesses are confident in the outlook for their own organization. The majority of respondents (58 per cent) said their organization shrank between April and September 2020; while nearly half (47 per cent) said they let employees go, as a direct result of the pandemic. The hardest hit sectors according to the report are predictably accommodation, food services, the arts, entertainment, recreation and retail. The hardest hit employees are women, lower income earners, racialized employees, new immigrants and youth. According to Kirkland, the local chamber has worked hard to help all its members with accessing to every support available, through government and municipal programs. The OCC’s report is not the first to sound the alarm and its findings are in line with bank economists’ findings and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). “Near-term, many firms, already weakened by the first bout of the health crisis, will find it harder to survive the second wave. Based on a separate report by the CFIB, one-in-six small business owners are contemplating permanently closing. This is higher than CFIB’s 2020 estimate of one-in-seven,” wrote Ksenia Bushmeneva, an economist with TD Economics, in an analysis of the CFIB’s business confidence survey. According to the CFIB, the near-term optimism, based on a three-month outlook, has plunged since last year, reflecting the very challenging operating environment that many small businesses are facing. The combined lockdowns, curfews and movement restriction are having a negative impact on supply chains, which in turn have an impact on already-challenged sales at small retailers, according to TD Economics. “The new year is off to a challenging start for small businesses on the back of ongoing, and in some cases tightening, government restrictions across provinces. This is weighing on the near-term outlook, particularly in provinces and industries facing the toughest measures,” said Bushmeneva. Every region of the province has felt the impacts of this recession, though some more than others. According to Daniel Safayeni, vice-president of policy at the OCC and the report’s co-author, support programs and pro-growth-policies will need to be targeted towards those sectors experiencing the most striking challenges. So far the government has released a variety of programs to bolster small businesses through a variety of mechanisms such as the Canada Emergency Business Account, and The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund administered through local community futures development corporations. Many of the programs available are offering interest free loans – but they’re still loans. “Many firms may be reaching a limit on their ability to layer on more debt. A Statistics Canada Survey on Business Conditions conducted through October showed that over 40 per cent of businesses could not take on any more debt,” said Bushmeneva. Meanwhile, businesses’ priorities for governments as they embark on economic recovery efforts include enhancing access to capital, reforming business taxes, investing in broadband infrastructure and continuing to push the buy-local message, according to the findings of the OCC report. “The prolonged natures of the crisis, rising case counts, and uncertainty around vaccine deployment timelines, have taken a toll on employers and Ontarians across the province. Yet, Ontario has a proven track-record of resilience and recovery. Our long-term prosperity will depend on all levels of government, business, chambers of commerce and boards of trade working together towards economic recovery,” said Rossi. Heddy Sorour, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brockville Recorder and Times
CBC

NHL legend Jarome Iginla to coach minor hockey in Kelowna, B.C.

NHL great Jarome Iginla will be returning to Canada from the U.S. this summer to take over as head coach of a minor hockey team in Kelowna, B.C. The former captain of the Calgary Flames will coach the U15 prep team at the RINK Hockey Academy for the 2021-2022 season and assist the U18 prep team, the organization announced Friday. Iginla is retired from the NHL and has spent the past four years coaching his children through minor hockey in Boston. He expects to return to Kelowna, where he has a home, this summer. “We’re ready to get back home out West,” Iginla told CBC News. “They have a great program and it’s really close to our home, and it just sounded like it fit really well.” Iginla announced his retirement from the NHL in 2018 after 20 seasons. He scored 525 goals and 570 assists for a total of 1,095 points in his 1,219 games with the Flames. He was traded to the Pitsburgh Pengins in 2013, and also played for the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings. Iginla is also a two-time Olympic gold medal winner and was named to the NHL All-Star team six times. The RINK Hockey Academy draws athletes between the ages of 12 and 17 from around the world each September for a 10-month training program with 1,000 hours of hockey development training. Iginla said the coaches he’s had from childhood to the pro level had a very positive impact on him, and he’s looking forward to bringing his skills and passion for hockey to a program geared toward mentoring the next generation of hockey stars. “What I really enjoy is working with kids that are really passionate about getting better and trying to teach them some of the intricacies and things that I’ve learned about competing and over the years,” he said. “I’ve definitely learned a lot over the years and I’m still learning, and I’d like to be able to pass that on.”
The Canadian Press

Montreal police chief apologizes to man wrongfully arrested for trying to kill cop

Montreal’s police chief publicly apologized Friday to the man wrongfully arrested, charged and detained for almost a week in connection with an attack on a city police officer. Chief Sylvain Caron said results from DNA analyses “allow us to exonerate” Mamadi III Fara Camara, who was arrested Jan. 28 after a police officer was allegedly disarmed and attacked following a traffic stop in Montreal’s Parc Extension borough. Caron said he spoke with Camara Friday. “We agreed to meet in the coming days so I can offer our most sincere apologies to him and his family for all the inconveniences tied to the unfortunate events of the last few days,” he told reporters, reading from prepared statements. “We are human, we sympathize with them,” Caron said, about Camara’s family. “My apologies, I offer them publicly.” Camara spent almost a week in detention when prosecutors on Wednesday dropped all the charges — including attempted murder of a police officer — after they said evidence had surfaced absolving him. The case prompted politicians and civil rights groups to demand an independent investigation. Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “concerned” about the arrest and described the case as “troubling,” adding that he had confidence Quebec authorities will do what is needed to figure out what happened. “I know the responsible authorities are very aware of the pressure that will be on them to figure out exactly what went wrong and to fully answer the questions of friends and family and citizens who are extremely worried about this troubling incident,” he told reporters. About 100 people gathered Friday evening in front of a subway station in the neighbourhood where Camara was arrested last week. Protesters condemned the arrest and called for an end to systemic racism, with many saying they didn’t believe Camara would have been arrested if he was white. Cassandra Williams, one of the protesters, said police need to be held accountable for their actions. The mother of two Black boys said she worries what would happen if her older son, a teenager, is confronted by a police officer. “Hold them accountable like children, you do something wrong, you’re going to get punished,” Williams said. “Hold the police accountable, hold their bosses accountable.” Montreal police said Friday the investigation into the assault is continuing and that they had found a vehicle they said they believe was driven by a suspect in the case. Const. Caroline Chevrefils said the red Hyundai Elantra was found in the city’s southwestern LaSalle borough and that detectives were interviewing witnesses in the area and checking if neighbourhood cameras captured images of the car or its driver. In a statement issued Friday morning, the office of the director of prosecutions said prosecutors “in principle” are required to have a complete case before charges are laid. But, it added, it’s “not exceptional” for charges to be laid early in the interest of public safety. Audrey Roy-Cloutier, spokeswoman for the director of prosecutions, wrote that police arrested Camara based on information provided by the officer who was attacked and from circumstantial evidence. She said the charges were filed at the request of police. Roy-Cloutier said prosecutors received new evidence Feb. 3 and that after reviewing it, came to the conclusion it was no longer possible to support the charges against Camara. Mayor Valerie Plante on Thursday denounced the detention of Camara — who is Black — as “unacceptable” and said any eventual independent investigation should examine whether racial profiling played a part. Yves Francoeur, head of the Montreal police brotherhood, accused the mayor of “political interference” in the ongoing police investigation. In a letter to Plante Friday, the union head said her decision to discuss racial profiling in connection with the case was “extremely deplorable.” “In doing so, you throw oil on the fire, undermine the social climate and complicate even more the task of those responsible for ensuring the safety of Montrealers,” Francoeur wrote. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2021. ——— This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Jacob Serebrin, The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press

Cowboys for Trump leader released from jail pending trial

SANTA FE, N.M. — Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin is headed home to New Mexico after nearly three weeks in a Washington jail, after a judge on Friday said she will trust Griffin to show up for trial in connection with the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Beryl Howell on Friday reversed a magistrate judge’s prior detention order and released Griffin to his home in New Mexico after nearly three weeks in jail. Griffin denies federal charges that he knowingly entering barricaded areas of the Capitol grounds with the intent to disrupt government as Congress considered Electoral College results. Continued incarceration pending trial might leave Griffin in jail for longer than the one-year maximum sentence amid pandemic-related court delays, Howell said. Griffin is banned from visiting Washington outside of court proceedings, must surrender his passport and must not possess a firearm. More than 150 people have been charged in federal court with crimes following the Jan. 6 riot. In releasing Griffin, the judge said she weighed Griffin’s unrepentant appearance among the riotous crowd at the Capitol and vows to return and plant a flag on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk against his apparently candid subsequent interactions with the FBI and no obvious disdain toward the judiciary. She noted repeatedly that Griffin on Jan. 6 did not carry weapons, commit violence or enter the U.S. Capitol. “I appreciate that the charge here is that he disregarded signage about restricted areas of the Capitol on Jan. 6. But his subsequent co-operation with law enforcement showed that he is not a person who has a categorical disdain and disregard for any and every government act or authority,” Howell said. Griffin, an elected commissioner in Otero County, has led the Cowboys for Trump group in horseback parades through cities across the country in support of Donald Trump. Griffin was arrested Jan. 17 in Washington — days after announcing during a public meeting in Alamogordo that he would return to Washington with guns at the ready in opposition to Biden’s election and inauguration. Griffin and his attorneys say the guns were a self-defence precaution against recent death threats — and that he ultimately left them with friends from Pennsylvania. Prosecutors say Griffin is a flight risk because has advocated the violent overthrow of the U.S. government on multiple occasions. A magistrate judge noted Griffin’s history of threatening comments, racial invective, access to firearms and vows that Biden would never be president. Howell had a different take, saying that Griffin’s status as an elected official in New Mexico with child-support obligations weigh against continued incarceration. “There doesn’t seem to be any evidence that he poses a risk of danger to the community in New Mexico,” she said. Griffin last year was barred from in-person visits with his son following social media posts that have generated threats and for refusing to abide by COVID-19 mask requirements. Current custody terms are unclear. Griffin continued to openly flout the state’s mask requirement at a public meetings as a county commissioner. Colleagues on the Otero County commission hve called on Griffin to resign in the aftermath of the Capitol siege. State election regulators recently sued Griffin over his refusal to register Cowboys for Trump as a political group as agreed upon in arbitration. Griffin says the group is a for-profit business and that he worries about contributors being identified and harassed. Morgan Lee, The Associated Press
CBC

Residents struggled without water inside 500-unit Lougheed Village

Residents inside a 500-unit housing complex in Burnaby were without running water for days after it was shut down by the municipality following a water main break. Water at Lougheed Village, a large housing development near the border of Coquitlam and Burnaby, was off from Wednesday until early Friday evening, according to building residents. The property is managed by MetCap Living. The dry taps have led to health and hygiene concerns from those without water, particularly amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “I think it’s unsanitary,” said Tamara Goddard, a resident of the village since 2019. “I’m scared to leave my apartment at this moment because people aren’t washing their hands.” Goddard said she’s witnessed people going to the bathroom in a nearby duck pond, while other residents draw buckets of water from the same pond to bring back up into their units. “People are frustrated and quite upset, because we’re not being given adequate information to make adequate decisions for our health.” CBC News contacted the management company on Friday, speaking with a worker who declined to comment but said managers were working to have the water temporarily restored in the evening. By 6 p.m., Goddard confirmed that the taps were running again. Request for comment from the site’s building manager were not returned by time of publishing. First notice on Feb. 3 Goddard says residents were first given a notice on Feb. 3 that the water would be shut off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for maintenance. In the days since, subsequent notices have said the water will remain off until further notice, following a shutdown by the City of Burnaby because of a water main line break. A spokesperson from the city said the break happened on a private line and city engineers restored water to the line about eight hours later. Goddard says property managers have been providing drinking water bottles to residents. “People are cramming into elevators to get water bottles, they’re unwashed, people using public water … even if it’s not COVID, people are going to get sick.”
The Canadian Press

A look at Ontario’s plan to gradually reopen the province

A senior government source says Ontario Premier Doug Ford will announce plans for a gradual reopening of the province’s economy on Monday. The government will transition regions back to a colour-coded restrictions system over three weeks, the source said. Until then, a stay-at-home order remains in effect. Here’s a breakdown of the plan: Feb. 10: The regions of Hastings Prince Edward; Kingston Frontenac and Lennox and Addington; Renfrew County and District; and Timiskaming are expected to enter the “green” category of the restrictions system. That will allow non-essential retailers to open, restaurants to offer indoor dining, and personal care services to open. Week of Feb. 15: The province’s remaining public health units will transition to the colour-coded restrictions system, save for three hot spots in the Greater Toronto Area. The category regions are placed in will depend on case rates at the time. Week of Feb. 22: The hot spots of Toronto, Peel Region and York Region are expected to transition back to the colour-coded restrictions system. ___ This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2021. The Canadian Press