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The Canadian Press

Garland vows return to ‘normal’ Justice Dept. on 1st day

WASHINGTON — Taking the reins at the Justice Department, Attorney General Merrick Garland sought Thursday to assure career staffers that he would prioritize restoring the department’s reputation for political independence and ensuring equal justice after a tumultuous four years under former President Donald Trump. “The only way we can succeed and retain the trust of the American people is to adhere to the norms that have become part of the DNA of every Justice Department employee,” Garland said in his first address to the department’s more than 115,000 employees. “All of us are united by our commitment to the rule of law, and to seek an equal justice under law,” he said. Welcome to the new Justice Department, likely a much tamer place to be after four years of blaring headlines under Donald Trump. The former president insisted that his attorney general, and entire department, be loyal to him personally, battering the department’s reputation for political independence. Former Attorney General William Barr became a veritable celebrity under Trump, after he spun the Russia report from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller favourably for the president, even though Mueller pointedly said he could not exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice. Barr later moved to drop the criminal charges against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and publicly overturned his own prosecutor’s recommended prison sentence for another convicted Trump ally, Roger Stone. But not even Barr made it to the end of the Trump administration; he resigned in December, weeks after he said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential race, contradicting Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. On Thursday, Garland signalled in his first address to staff — a formal, 10-minute speech inside the Great Hall at Justice Department headquarters, speaking virtually to staff with about 30 people spread across the large room — the department would return to its normal traditions away from the political sphere. President Joe Biden has also insisted the same. Try though he may to stay out of politics, Garland is facing some immediate political challenges, including overseeing the ongoing criminal tax investigation into Biden’s son, Hunter, and the investigations and prosecutions stemming from the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol when thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed the building to halt the certification of the election results. The Justice Department also has an ongoing federal probe into the overseas and business dealings of the former New York City mayor and Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, which stalled last year over a dispute about investigative tactics as Trump unsuccessfully sought reelection. And separately, the special counsel investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, which shadowed Trump’s presidency for more than two years, remains ongoing. Garland will have to decide how to handle it and what to make public. But the nation’s top law enforcement official vowed Thursday that he would prioritize ensuring the department return to prosecutorial norms and work to make the public confident in its independence to serve justice. “Those norms require that like cases be treated alike,” he said. “That there not be one rule for Democrats, and another for Republicans, one rule for friends and another for foes one rule for the powerful, and another for the powerless, one rule for the rich and another for the poor, or different rules, depending upon one’s race or ethnicity.” An experienced judge, Garland held senior positions at the Justice Department decades ago, including as a supervisor in the prosecution of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, which led to the execution of Timothy McVeigh. His experience prosecuting domestic terrorism cases could prove exceptionally valuable as investigations into the Capitol insurrection progress. “When I walked in the door of Main Justice this morning, it really did feel like I was coming home,” Garland said, referring to Justice Department headquarters. Garland arrived for his first day shortly after 9 a.m. and was greeted by several dozen officials in the courtyard of the department’s headquarters. As he hopped out of his SUV, Garland hugged his wife, waved to the crowd and elbow-bumped with his predecessor, acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson, as he walked into the building. About 15 minutes later, he took the oath of office, administered by Assistant Attorney General Lee Lofthus. A formal ceremonial swearing-in is expected later Thursday with Vice-President Kamala Harris. His first briefing was expected to focus on the insurrection and the ongoing investigations by federal prosecutors. So far, about 300 people have been charged with federal crimes, including far-right extremists who are alleged to have been involved in pre-planning and conspiracies to breach the Capitol and assault law enforcement. Garland is expected to be briefed by FBI Director Christopher Wray and top national security officials and will also visit the U.S. attorney’s office to meet with prosecutors who are trying the cases. Michael Balsamo, The Associated Press
Reuters

Netflix tests feature that could limit password sharing

A small number of Netflix users are receiving a message asking them to confirm they live with the account owner by entering details from a text message or email sent to the owner. Viewers can delay the verification and keep watching Netflix. The message may reappear when they open Netflix again, and eventually they could be required to open a new account to continue streaming.
Local Journalism Initiative

Multi-faith day of action a chance to highlight common ground on climate justice

Areej Riaz says the largest-ever multi-faith day of climate action on Thursday is a chance for people to see how being an environmental steward is a common theme across all the world’s major religions. Riaz is the manager of climate programs for EnviroMuslims, a community group founded in the Toronto area that aims to increase climate action within the Canadian Muslim community and embrace sustainability in daily life. The group is one of many across Canada taking part in Sacred People, Sacred Earth, a global day of action on March 11 in 38 countries, backed by over 200 religious leaders and scholars. “Community leaders, whether that’s a mosque imam, or a priest, or a rabbi, they are respected, they are revered, and they are listened to,” said Riaz. “So for these people to come together and say, ‘This is an important day, this is an important conversation to have and to take to heart for the rest of the year,’ is much-needed, but also well-appreciated, by groups like us that work on sustainability.” Sacred People, Sacred Earth’s message is that the many teachings from across religions and spiritual philosophies all make it clear that the Earth and living beings and species are sacred and that it is important to take care of Creation. A list of 10 demands from the global organizer, New York-based GreenFaith International Network, calls for 100 per cent renewable energy, net-zero carbon pollution by 2030, and policies for welcoming climate migrants and on other issues like sustainable finance. Events are being planned for eight cities across Canada. In Vancouver, for example, a COVID-safe, multi-faith prayer circle is expected to hold a vigil asking for Canada to end all fossil fuel subsidies and to return Indigenous lands. In other cities, there will be ceremonies or virtual gatherings to mark the occasion. Faith and the Common Good, a national inter-faith charitable network based in Toronto, is one of the founding partners of the GreenFaith International Network. Executive director Michelle Singh said Sacred People, Sacred Earth was an opportunity for governments and financial institutions to hear the united voices of millions of people motivated by their faith towards climate action. “For faith communities, they can feel somewhat isolated in the work that they’re doing, not getting a lot of national or even local coverage,” said Singh. “This is a way to amplify what everyone around the world is doing. A lot of these initiatives are grassroots people committed to changing things in their own community. Putting it within this context gives everyone a better understanding of the level of impact that’s possible.” Riaz said the day was key for the Canadian Muslim community in particular due to the fact that a portion is made up of immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers, for whom she said the issue of sustainability “is not even in the top-five priorities in their lives — it’s food, shelter, income, education for their kids.” “So to be able to continue to drive that point home that this is part and parcel of our faith, what we need to do every day, how we need to think and act — and it’s not something additional that people have to work around … and to be able to show that this is a common goal and aim for all faith groups and all community leaders is amazing,” said Riaz. Faith and the Common Good works with faith communities and environmental organizations across Canada, hosting programs related to energy efficiency, clean energy, clean water, active transportation and the repurposing of surplus places of worship. It has partnered with a United Church initiative called Faithful Footprints, which helps congregations cut their carbon pollution through grants and other tools. EnviroMuslims has been undertaking projects focused on social media engagement, like the Eco-Ramadan Challenge, a calendar with one small action per day that people could take, and a collaboration on a green Ramadan journal for people to record their days and experiences with the fast. The group also has a Green Ambassadors campaign where they celebrate individuals in the Canadian Muslim population who are working on sustainable issues, giving them a badge and featuring their profile on social media. Riaz said the group hopes to highlight Muslim representation in the sustainability world, something they have found can be lacking in Canada. In Toronto, EnviroMuslims is hoping to take the opportunity of Sacred People, Sacred Earth to highlight another program called Greening Canadian Mosques that it is undertaking in partnership with Faith and the Common Good. That effort is hoping Canadian mosques boost their energy and water conservation and make their waste management more efficient, as well as bring awareness to mosque-goers about sustainable lifestyles. Carl Meyer / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer Carl Meyer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, National Observer
The Canadian Press

Ontario pharmacy COVID-19 vaccine pilot ramping up in three regions

TORONTO — Eligible Ontarians are standing in lines, making calls and going online to snap up COVID-19 vaccine appointments as a pilot project offering shots in pharmacies picks up steam. Oxford-AstraZeneca shots are being given to Ontarians between the ages of 60 to 64 at 325 pharmacies in the Toronto, Windsor and Kingston health units. The Ontario Pharmacists Association says the program – which is set to launch broadly tomorrow – has a “rolling start” today, with some sites already administering vaccines. Some Ontarians on the cusp of the age limit for the program reported confusion and appointments being cancelled after bookings opened yesterday. The health ministry has since clarified that anyone who will be between the ages of 60 and 64 in 2021 is eligible. Pharmacists association CEO Justin Bates says that is being communicated to the participating pharmacies today to ensure people can get their appointments. Bates says the pharmacies are on track to use up the supply of 165,000 Oxford-AstraZeneca doses they’ve been sent before the shots expire in a few weeks, based on interest from the public so far and capacity at each site. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2021. The Canadian Press
Reuters

Cryptocurrency platform FalconX secures $50 million investment

Over the last year, FalconX said its net revenue had grown 46 times, driven by increased demand for cryptocurrencies from institutional investors. Interest in cryptocurrencies as an asset class has grown due to a meteoric rise in bitcoin prices, which hit a record high of $57,492 against the U.S. dollar last month.
Reuters

VW-backed EV charging firm Ionity to sell minority stake: sources

Electric vehicle charging group Ionity, whose owners include Volkswagen and Daimler, is looking to sell a minority stake to rake in 400 million-500 million euros ($479 million-597 million), three people familiar with the matter said. The firm, which is installing ultra-high speed charging stations across Europe, has hired BNP Paribas to help with the process, with non-binding bids due after Easter, the people said. “IONITY is in constant dialogue with its joint venture partners and is examining further investment opportunities for the expansion of the fast-charging infrastructure,” Ionity said in a statement.
Local Journalism Initiative

Blue herons identified as significant predator of B.C.’s juvenile salmon

It appears Pacific great blue herons have a much larger appetite for juvenile salmon than previously understood, potentially raising the complexity of salmon recovery strategies in B.C. A new study out of UBC shows the birds are annually removing three per cent of the young fish heading to the Salish Sea. During years of low waterflows predation can shoot up to to six per cent. “It doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you’re talking about millions of juvenile salmon moving out of these river systems into the Salish Sea, it adds up pretty quickly,” lead author, PhD student Zachary Sherker said. “There is a study that showed reductions as low as five per cent can have a really significant impact on the overall recovery of salmon populations. But in this instance, it looks like the smaller juveniles are being preyed upon more heavily, and evidence suggests they have less chance of survival at sea — it could be they wouldn’t return as spawning adults anyway.” The study was part of Sherker’s master’s research, published January in The Canadian Journal of Zoology. It is the first to quantify the portion of juvenile salmon preyed upon by heron in the southern streams. The findings suggest river-side heron rookeries need to be more closely monitored, with heron predation taken seriously for salmon recovery planning. Knowing where and how juvenile salmon die has become an important scientific quest in B.C. amidst record-low salmon returns. As juvenile swim to the ocean, about 50 per cent die from predation and damaged habitat. Sherker had set out to determine exactly how the fish were dying, looking for evidence from predators often linked to predation in Western scientific literature — raccoons, otters, king fishers and mink. On Vancouver Island he spent months raking the forest floor with a magnetic device, searching for scat containing tiny transponder tags that scientists years prior had implanted in the juvenile salmon to track their migration patterns. After four months with zero results, he turned to the estuary expecting seals were responsible for the predation. That’s when a local Indigenous collaborator, Cowichan Tribes biologist Tim Kulchinsky, directed Sherker’s attention to numerous herons in their seasonal foraging ground at the river’s outflow. In the heron’s fecal remains Sherker located 100 tags on the first day. “The way it all came together is quite surprising,” Sherker said. “This is the first time we’ve been able to use this technology to peer into predation in the wild. It’s evaded researchers prior to that.” Blue herons are regularly seen near salmon habitat, but are rarely listed among known salmon predators. Identifying the heron as a prolific predator was problematic in the past, partly because their digestive tracts break down every part of the salmon, including bones. It was also assumed predators that rely on their vision target large, easy-to-spot prey. Finding the tags in heron scat proved this assumption too simplistic, as Sherker concluded the heron are most likely hunting the smallest juveniles for their young. “These are really important prey items for the chicks in the early weeks, when they’re still gape-limited and still have a high hazard of choking on larger fish,” Sherker said. Over two summers of field research, Sherker had found 10,000 tags, one per cent of the total implanted in fish moving through the Cowichan, Big Qualicum and Capilano rivers. The finding suggests up to 8.4 per cent of the chicks’ diet consists of juvenile salmon, removing between three to six per cent of the fish from streams. Sherker said further studies are needed to pin down what this means for salmon abundance, but he is optimistic the predation may actually be beneficial. “Herons may be taking out fish that were destined to die somewhere else along the way, but were going to live long enough to compete with other fish for potentially limited resources in the early marine environment. This predation could benefit salmon stocks by weeding out the weak and allowing for less competition and higher growth among other fish in these critical juvenile life stages.” The study was completed in collaboration with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation and Cowichan Tribes, and was funded by the Pacific Salmon Foundation with support of a MITACS Accelerate grant. Quinn Bender, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Rupert Northern View
Local Journalism Initiative

It takes a village to raise these seeds: Tree Trust looking for help starting nursery

With its new nursery project underway, the Tree Trust is looking at avenues to dig up some community involvement. “There will be lots to do and lots of opportunities for residents – young and old – to engage, which is great, because there has been so much community support and enthusiasm for Tree Trust in the Town of The Blue Mountains (TBM),” said Betty Muise, project coordinator for the TBM chapter of the Tree Trust. Muise explained that through the Tree Trust’s most recent endeavour of creating a native species nursery in TBM, the organization hopes to engage area schools and residents in the process. “In the Green Legacy Program of Wellington County, they have a hugely successful seedling nursery and they ask school groups to look after germination trays in their classrooms, so that is a model we would like to explore,” she said, adding that the group will also likely need volunteer assistance in preparing the seedling nursery site, planting out the seedlings, and regular watering and general tending. “The cycle will hopefully repeat every year with a new batch of seeds and germinated seedlings. Finally, once the seedlings are large enough, we hope to have residents plant the native trees on their property or join us in planting efforts throughout the municipality,” Muise said. She expects the project will be ready to include members of the community by late summer. When it comes to collecting seeds, Muise said a good place to start is by looking around your property for large, old and distinct looking trees. “It’s hard for residents to estimate age, but often size is a good indicator. So some big majestic, older tree would be of note – older, but still healthy,” she said. If you have a tree in mind, Muise encourages residents to reach out to the Tree Trust through the website with contact information, details about the tree and a photo, if possible. “The chestnuts people will find around here will be Horse Chestnut, which is not native,” explained Tobias Effinger, owner of Arboreal Tree Care and certified arborist who works closely with the Tree Trust organization. “Our native chestnut is Carolinian and still suffers from a disease named Chestnut blight Cryphonectria parasitica, this was brought to North America from Asia and devastated our native stock,” he continued. According to Effinger, local tree species that would be good for seed collection include: Red maple, Yellow birch, American beech, American basswood, Honey locust, and if lucky – Tulip tree, American sycamore, the hickories. “Certainly we would like to see not only native species but also to collect seed from those which have not been planted from a nursery source – as we don’t know where they came from,” Effinger added. As far as the saplings being produced through the nursery, Muise said they will most likely be ready for planting in the community by 2023. “We don’t want residents having to look after the littlest of seedlings as it’s too easy to damage them. But having said that, we don’t want them to get too big either, because of potential root damage from transplanting and things like that. They will likely be ready to go in 2023,” she said. For more information or to volunteer with the Tree Trust, contact Betty Muise at 519-599-7798 or via email at [email protected] Jennifer Golletz, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, CollingwoodToday.ca
CBC

Man pleads guilty in 2018 Gatineau homicide

A man charged in the November 2018 killing of a 20-year-old Gatineau, Que., man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. David Emond had originally been charged with second-degree murder for his role in the death of Johnny Normand, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge at the Gatineau courthouse on Thursday. Normand was found seriously injured in a home on rue Saint-Paul and later died of his injuries. Emond, who was 22 at the time, was later arrested at another home nearby. At the time of the arrest, Gatineau police said Emond had acted alone and knew the victim. Emond is scheduled to be back in court on March 26 for sentencing.
Local Journalism Initiative

Almaguin communities inch closer to belonging to an Ontario Health Team

Most of the 12 municipalities in Almaguin Highlands are a little closer to being part of an Ontario Health Team. The OHTs are the agencies the Premier Doug Ford government announced two years ago to replace the Local Health Integration Networks across the province. The province has begun to set out their coverage areas. Armour Township Coun. Rod Ward says two of the proposed health teams announced for the area were the Near North OHT, which would take in North Bay and Nipissing, and the Muskoka and Area OHT. Ward says in December 2019 the province said both proposed OHTs could advance to the next level of their formation. “But for some bizarre reason the Almaguin Highlands region was identified as being affiliated with both the Near North OHT and Muskoka and Area OHT,” Ward said. “That was confusing and then further it turned out we weren’t under either Near North or Muskoka and neither group included our area as part of their applications when they were moving forward.” Ward says for the 10 of the 12 communities that make up the Almaguin Highlands Health Council, it meant they might not have the means to advocate for health-care services. He says the solution was to apply for a standalone OHT that would take in the communities of Almaguin Highlands. “We knew going into this it would be virtually impossible to have our own OHT because we don’t have the population base or our own hospital,” Ward said. At best, the year-round population for the Almaguin Highlands is 13,000 people, which doubles to about 26,000 when seasonal residents are considered. However, going through the motions of applying for an Almaguin Highlands OHT paid off, because Ward says it allowed the local health council to create a patient vision statement and identify the list of services it wanted in its OHT. That paperwork is now part of the framework the Almaguin Highlands Health Council is using in talks with the Muskoka and Area OHT. Ward says over the past several months healthcare providers in Almaguin talked regularly with their counterparts in Muskoka and those dialogues have resulted in a decision to see how to include Almaguin in the Muskoka and Area OHT. Ward says the Muskoka and Area OHT has asked the Almaguin Highlands Health Council to join its steering committee as it moves forward to become an OHT. Ward has been chosen to represent the health council on the steering committee. “This is good news for us,” Ward said. “For the time being we’re part of something and hopefully it will evolve into an advocacy of services for the Almaguin Highlands region.” Ward says thanks to the earlier work the health council did when trying to form its own OHT, the Muskoka group now has a sense of the types of services the small communities need. Ward says two services residents always bring up in surveys are the need for a walk-in clinic and a nurse practitioner-led clinic. Ward says the health council doesn’t expect some healthcare services to be restored on a full-time basis. However, he says it’s possible to create a satellite service where health professionals visit the various Almaguin communities once a week or twice a month. Ward says Almaguin has been able to get some services back in recent years, but says what’s critical moving forward is that the region may soon have a voice at the table. “We want to be there having those discussions instead of being at the receiving end when cuts are made and we have no input,” he said. “So in five years if budget cuts are being made we can ask what’s being cut and we’ll have a voice.” Ward says the two Almaguin municipalities that are not part of the health council are South River and Machar. He says that’s due to geography, because the communities are closer to North Bay and everyone has to do what’s best for the patients. But Ward says the health council “will keep the door open” to Machar and South River in the event they want Almaguin Highlands Health Council representation. Ward also says the health council keeps in regular contact with other nearby health teams like the Near North OHT because it’s the belief that patients should be able to move easily and smoothly between areas. “The important thing is that the patient is at the centre of whatever healthcare delivery model is required,” he said. In the meantime, Ward says he’s ready to start meeting with the Muskoka and Area OHT every two weeks as it continues its work to create an Ontario Health Team. Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Rocco Frangione, Local Journalism Initiative, The North Bay Nugget
Reuters

BOC suggests Canadian rate hikes could come sooner if people spend pandemic savings

If Canadians start spending the massive nest egg they have amassed during the coronavirus pandemic it could “meaningfully affect” economic growth, a top Bank of Canada official said on Thursday, suggesting this might even speed up the pace of rate hikes. Canadians on average spent C$4,000 less in 2020 and this, coupled with higher household incomes due to emergency aid transfers, adds up to C$180 billion ($143.6 billion) in excess pandemic savings, Deputy Governor Lawrence Schembri said. “If Canadians spend more than we expect, it would strengthen the recovery in consumption and employment.”
The Canadian Press

Mayor who pushed for guaranteed income to advise governor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A former mayor in California who gained national attention for running the country’s highest-profile experiment with a guaranteed income is joining Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration as an unpaid special advisor. Michael Tubbs, the 30-year-old former mayor of Stockton, will be a special advisor for economic mobility and opportunity. He’ll also join the governor’s Council of Economic Advisors. “I can think of no one more dedicated or better equipped to make recommendations to my team and help lead outreach efforts to increase opportunity and entrepreneurship to reduce poverty in California,” Newsom said in a news release. Raised by a single mother while his father has been in prison for most of his life, Tubbs landed a scholarship to Stanford and later was an intern in the Obama White House. He returned to Stockton and was elected to City Council at age 22. He was elected mayor in 2016 at 26, becoming one of the youngest mayors in the country. He immediately made national news, announcing a privately funded program to find out what happens when 125 low-income people get a guaranteed income of $500 per month for two years. The results of the first year, released last week, showed most people used the money to pay off debt and land full-time jobs. Tubbs was the subject of an HBO documentary and seemed destined for higher office one day. But the political world was shocked when Tubbs was not reelected in November, losing to Kevin Lincoln, a Republican and former Marine who like Tubbs had also returned to Stockton after a stint in Washington. Political observers have been waiting to see what Tubbs does next. Tubbs said he had other opportunities, including a return to Washington. Instead he chose to stay in California and work with Newsom, who will likely face a recall election later this year fueled by anger over his handling of the pandemic. “This recall is utter nonsense. It’s a distraction from the work that’s been done,” Tubbs said, citing Newsom signing a bill to give $600 payments to Californians with low and moderate incomes and a program that has renovated hotel rooms for the homeless. “I was really excited about sort of joining in the middle of a conversation about what type of California do we want to live in.” Tubbs said the job is unpaid because he needed flexibility to work on other projects. He has a memoir scheduled to be published later this year. And he’s continuing to work with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a group of 40 mayors advocating for guaranteed income programs. He said about six local programs are expected to be up and running by the end of summer. A bill pending before the California Legislature would offer a guaranteed income to children who age out of the state’s foster program. But Tubbs said his goal is to have the federal government adopt a guaranteed income program at a massive scale, which some estimates have pegged could cost nearly $3 trillion. “I think the data speaks for itself,” Tubbs said, adding he plans to work with cities to adopt smaller programs “to really build the case.” As for his political future, Tubbs said he has always viewed politics “as a means to an end,” saying he’s not “wedded to serving in political office.” “I’m really motivated, not by position but by the mission of increasing opportunity for all Californians,” he said. Adam Beam, The Associated Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Almaguin fire stations looking for unit to replace Ontario Fire College smoke unit

With the strong possibility the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst will close at the end of the month, five fire stations in Almaguin that share training are working to ensure part of their practical training is not interrupted. The Minister of the Solicitor General announced the closure of the decades old school in mid January and plans to replace it with 20 regional training centres. The replacement includes having two burn unit facilities travel to the various training centres regularly so firefighters at the facilities can put what they’ve learned to the test. But Gary Courtice, the Regional Chief Fire Training Officer, who trains the Almaguin firefighters in Magnetawan, McMurrich-Monteith, Kearney, Perry and Burk’s Falls, says some firefighters may have to wait years before tackling a burn unit at one of the training centres. As Courtice understands how the burn units will work, a municipality could ask for one of the units, but since the regional training centres get priority “the municipality would go on a waiting list” before getting a unit. “So the regional training facilities get them first, and the municipality next,” Courtice said. “But if the units are fully booked at the training centres, a municipality would be on a long waiting list and when you look at the number of municipalities there are in Ontario, it could be years before they get it.” Courtice adds it doesn’t get much better when sending firefighters to the training centres and hope they get to work on a burn unit. He says since the units travel from centre to centre, the hope for firefighters is they have to coincide their visit to a regional centre when one of the two units is there. Courtice doesn’t believe those are good odds, and here again the wait could be a long one for the firefighter to work on a burn unit. However, Courtice says the personnel he trains at the five fire stations are hoping to avoid this scenario. Courtice says the five fire chiefs are looking at using marine cargo containers, also known as sea cans or C-Cans, as a training tool. “They’re looking at three sea containers,” Courtice said. “Two would be 40 feet long and the other is 20 feet long. The smaller container would straddle the top of the other containers to create a second floor in order to simulate a two-storey building.” Courtice says the interior of the containers would have movable walls in order to change the look of the inside of the “home” and create a kitchen in one area or bedroom or other rooms in other sections. “So if we can change the rooms around, the firefighters aren’t always going inside and turning left or turning right,” Courtice said. “So today you have a left-hand wall and tomorrow you’d slide the movable wall over and have a right-hand wall. “You can’t replicate every scenario of a real structure but at least you have the opportunity to change things and it allows us to stay sharp on our fire protection techniques.” Courtice says the combined unit will be characterized as a smoke unit and not an actual burn unit “for environmental reasons and it would create unwanted danger for the people inside.” For those reasons the unit won’t contain things like chairs, couches are other flammable materials so in that sense the fire is not realistic. But it will be a smoky environment firefighters take on thanks to straw in a 45-gallon drum doused with water and then set on fire. Setting the “fire” this way keeps the interior temperature at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Courtice says in this way the firefighters remain safe by keeping the heat down as opposed to a real fire environment, plus the firefighters have to cope with the smoke, meaning it’s hard for them to see as would be the case in a real blaze. “The personnel would fight it like they would any structure,” Courtice says. “That means they go in with hand tools, breathing apparatus and whatever else they would use when taking on a fire.” Currently the fire chiefs are getting quotes for the C-Cans and they’re coming in around the $60,000 to $70,000 range. Courtice says to date the fire chiefs are getting great support from their respective municipal councils to acquire the smoke unit. Courtice says at $70,000, the smoke unit, which may be housed in Perry Township, will pay for itself in a short time frame. “It’s going to be a permanent unit and we’ll be able to use it in lieu of going to one of the regional training centres,” Courtice said. “So you can imagine how quickly it’s going to pay for itself instead of sending people to the regional training facility.” Courtice says a major draw of having your own smoke unit is the various fire departments don’t have to send their personnel and equipment very far and it’s also easier to schedule training sessions on the units because the firefighters aren’t competing with anyone else for the C-Can. “It’s very appealing and we can do our training right in our own backyard,” he said. Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Rocco Frangione, Local Journalism Initiative, The North Bay Nugget
Local Journalism Initiative

Winlaw renters lose all in devastating house fire

A Winlaw family is trying to put back together the pieces of their life after a house fire levelled the home they were renting last month. “I’m trying to be optimistic,” says Esmeralda Nadeau-Jasso. “But when you’ve lost everything it’s hard to be.” Nadeau-Jasso and her partner, Felix Bilodeau, were away from their rental house in Winlaw the afternoon of February 24 when the fire broke out. RDCK officials say the Winlaw Volunteer Fire Department received a call at about 1: 50 pm, reporting heavy smoke coming from a residence. Because of the size of the fire, more than 20 firefighters responded from the Winlaw, Passmore and Slocan departments, and were able to save at least one other building, as well as some vehicles and farm equipment on the property. “Crews worked hard and overcame adverse weather conditions and difficult fire behavior,” said Kynan O’Rourke, the RDCK regional deputy fire chief – operations. “Minor injuries occurred involving icy conditions and firefighter slips.” O’Rourke says an investigation has been completed, but the cause of the fire hasn’t been determined. Nadeau-Jasso says her family lost everything in the fire. They moved to the Winlaw rental a year ago, and brought her work inventory with them – art supplies, circus costumes, and tools for wood-working, felting, silversmithing, and makeup kits. Much of their furniture and children’s toys were also hand-made and irreplaceable. “Basically everything is gone. My beautiful book collection, my antiques. None of my antique furniture, things I found in garage sales over years, made it. Tons of beautiful antiques, books from the 1800s, it’s pretty harsh,” she said. “My partner is a musician, and he lost all the recordings he had on his computer, his music projects. They are all gone.” The couple didn’t have any renter’s insurance, she says. “At the time it wasn’t in the budget, we’re artists,” she says. “I make my money doing artistic endeavours, events all around the world. “Then COVID happened, and everything I was doing for festivals is on hold. I really regret not having renter’s insurance.” Nadeau-Jasso says she’s just happy her family is safe, and they’re beginning to try to rebuild their lives. She says it’s going to take time to replace all her things. “I am trying not to dwell on the loss, but more on what I have – I have one project that represents a thousand hours of work, it was in another building and safe,” she says. “We have our health, our family, and our dog – my neighbour ran in and saved her.” A GoFundMe campaign was set up a few days after the disaster, and the response has been heartwarming – they blew past the first target of $20,000, and to date (March 8) have raised $25,000 of their new $30,000 goal. “The support from the community’s been amazing,” she says. “I have a pretty decent network. I had a circus community in Montreal, the Burning Man community, and people in the Kootenays and Winlaw. “People I don’t even know are willing to try to help us with what we lost.” Now the work begins of rebuilding their lives. Finding new accommodations in the Valley will be a big enough job in itself. Nadeau-Jasso might even try to make art from the disaster. “In coming weeks I’m going to try to make stuff from the ashes… the old burnt books, there’s some beautiful coloured burnt books there… I was thinking of making something artistic from that.” Nadeau-Jasso and her family aren’t the only ones left homeless by the fire. The house was split into two suites, and the second renter, another artist, also lost years of work materials and other personal items. A GoFundMe campaign has also been set up for that person. It’s raised about $7,600 of its $15,000 target. You can donate to help the two renters by visiting gofundme.com, and searching for ‘Winlaw.’ John Boivin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Valley Voice
CBC

Vote coming next week on future of Charlottetown Curling Club

Members of the Charlottetown Curling Club will meet next week to vote on the future of the club, which has struggled over the last year because of problems with its ice-making equipment. Last October, curling at the club was delayed and eventually cancelled because of the breakdown. Some Charlottetown curlers went to play in Cornwall or Montague. “The whole ice plant needs to be replaced,” club president Tyler Harris told Island Morning’s Mitch Cormier Thursday. Replacing the broken part for the ice plant could cost up to $80,000, while replacing the entire ice-making plant would be about $250,000 — and that’s on top of other expenses at the club. Harris said the whole plant is old, and other parts could fail at any time. The club has formed two working groups, one looked at investing in the current facility and the other to look at moving to a new location. “When you’re making such an investment, we feel we have to be looking 20 years out into the future, so that’s kind of what these working groups did is do some long-term vision and planning to see if we can’t come up with the best solution to keep curling in Charlottetown or surrounding area,” Harris said. Memberships still available to vote The special meeting on the club’s future will happen next Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. It will be a combined virtual and in-person meeting if health restrictions allow it. ‘We’re doing the best we can,’ says Tyler Harris of efforts to keep the Charlottetown Curling Club going. ‘Lots of people care that we keep curling in Charlottetown.'(Nicola MacLeod/CBC) Club members will hear both presentations, then discuss and vote on how they’d like to proceed, Harris said. He is hoping more than 100 members will have their say. The club is still taking memberships until the end of the day March 14. People have been renewing their memberships, priced at $20 this year, to participate in the decision-making process. Past and present members are welcome to renew, Harris said. Meanwhile, the city has called for proposals to replace the pool and arena at Simmons Sport Centre. A new centre could potentially also include curling. Harris said it is a “consideration” for the club but there have been no advances from anyone yet. “There’s all kinds of different proposals being talked about right now,” Harris said. “The trend going across the country are the multiplexes, for sure, the multiple ice surfaces in one facility sharing the facility.” One of the obstacles the curling club has had was that it would often sit idle in summer, he said, noting the building’s upkeep is expensive. “We’re optimistic about the future,” he said. More from CBC P.E.I.
Local Journalism Initiative

Alberta man arrested by N.B. RCMP has appearance in court

A resolution offer between the Crown and defence for an Alberta man arrested by North Battleford RCMP is on the table. Defence told the North Battleford Provincial Court on March 11 that he is waiting for instructions from his client Lowen Dieh on the Crown’s offer and asked the matter be adjourned to April 8. Diehl, 36, was arrested during a traffic stop near North Battleford on Highway 16 on Dec. 7, 2020. When police searched his SUV they found 17 kg of drugs and a large amount of Canadian currency. Diehl was released from custody in Saskatchewan on Jan. 15, 2021, on $10,000 cash bail and a $10,000 surety. His bail conditions stipulate he must remain at his Alberta home on 24-hour house arrest. [email protected] Lisa Joy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Battlefords Regional News-Optimist
Reuters

GM says U.S. should extend consumer, investment tax credits to boost electric vehicles

General Motors President Mark Reuss said Thursday the U.S. government should extend new investment tax credits for electric vehicle manufacturing and supply chains and expand consumer incentives to electric vehicle purchases, including for used vehicles. In a LinkedIn post, Reuss also called on U.S. policymakers to invest “in infrastructure that includes fast-charging stations, particularly in urban areas and along highway corridors.” In January, GM said it was setting a dramatic goal to sell all its new cars, SUVs and light pickup trucks with zero tailpipe emissions by 2035, a dramatic shift by the largest U.S. automaker away from gasoline and diesel engines.
Canadian Press Videos

Republicans call on Biden to stop surge at border

The number of migrant families seeking to cross the southwest U.S. border has surged to levels seen prior to the pandemic. That’s presenting a challenge for President Joe Biden. The surge began in the final months of the Trump administration. (March 11)
Local Journalism Initiative

Upgrade eliminates odour and discolouration in South River water

Accelerating an upgrade at the South River filtration plant has helped to resolve a discolouration in the water in South River, as well as eliminate an odour. Clerk Administrator Don McArthur says the upgrade involves replacing two filtration systems at the plant a little ahead of schedule. “They were last changed in 2014 and 2015 and weren’t scheduled to be replaced again until 2022 and 2023,” McArthur said. “But in December it seemed we were no longer getting the efficiency out of the filter beds anymore. The Ontario Clean Water Agency looked at what would be best for us and proposed an upgrade for the filter media.” McArthur says the upgrades took place last month at a cost of about $26,000 and adds there has been a noticeable improvement in the look and smell of the water. Despite the state of the water before the filtration upgrade, McArthur says at no time were the drinking quality standards compromised. “We test the water three times a week and our water meets all Ontario regulations,” McArthur said. “The drinking quality is safe and is not an issue. Safety is number one.” McArthur says the status of the water was more of an aesthetics matter than anything else. He says the odour was like a musky, earthy smell caused by turbidity in the water a couple of times a year. Turbidity is the result of very small particles in the water which are normally invisible to the naked eye. McArthur says the filtration plant upgrade has a higher tolerance than the previous equipment “and can handle a wider range of turbidity and raw water that might be causing those problems.” As for the discolouration, manganese, which is a naturally-occurring mineral, is the culprit. The manganese builds up in the municipality’s underground pipes, some of which are more than 70 years old. The municipality flushes its pipes in the spring and fall to force out the manganese and other minerals that may have built up in the preceding months. The manganese can give the South River water a reddish-orange or a dark yellow appearance. McArthur also says in addition to the municipality flushing its pipes semi-annually, residents can do something similar at home by flushing their water system for a few moments, which will clear up the discolouration. Town councillor Teri Brandt welcomed the water quality improvement. During a regular council meeting Brandt said the water is the best she’s seen in about 20 years she’s lived in the municipality. Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Rocco Frangione, Local Journalism Initiative, The North Bay Nugget
CBC

Rankin appoints new AG with reputation for tough reports on government spending

Nova Scotia’s gain is New Brunswick’s loss. Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin announced Thursday that the province’s next auditor general will be the woman who has been in the job in New Brunswick for the past decade. Kim Adair-MacPherson, who has a reputation for not pulling punches when it comes to scrutinizing government spending, is the first woman ever appointed to the post in Nova Scotia. She starts her 10-year-term on May 3. Before being appointed to the job in New Brunswick in 2010, Adair-MacPherson spent 30 years with the New Brunswick government, including serving as provincial comptroller at the Department of Finance. Nova Scotia’s previous auditor, Michael Pickup, left the job in July to take an eight-year post as auditor general in British Columbia. In her latest report, published just last month, Adair-MacPherson said the New Brunswick government failed to address the increased demand for nursing homes. “My biggest concern is the lack of progress since we last did work on this area back in 2016,” she told reporters after delivering her report. Last fall, she issued a report scathing in its criticism of New Brunswick’s ambulance service and the bonuses paid to the company providing the service. Ambulance New Brunswick has been paid millions of dollars for hitting performance targets that are biased against rural areas and that conceal lower response times to those remote communities, according to Adair-MacPherson. She said the existing system for measuring ambulance response times had concealed problems that, in some cases, would have seen Ambulance New Brunswick miss out on performance payments worth millions of dollars. MORE TOP STORIES