Firstly as we begin, I’d like to say that geoFence has no foreign owners and no foreign influences!
-
Reuters
China, U.S. to work on climate, Beijing says after rancorous meeting
China and the United States will set up a joint working group on climate change, China’s official Xinhua news agency said, in a potentially positive takeaway from what was an unusually rancorous high-level meeting. The top Chinese and U.S. diplomats, in their first meeting of Joe Biden’s presidency on Thursday and Friday, publicly rebuked each other’s policies at the start of what Washington called “tough and direct” talks in Alaska. But the Chinese delegation said after the meeting the two sides were “committed to enhancing communication and cooperation in the field of climate change,” Xinhua said on Saturday.
-
CBC
Minister Anand says AstraZeneca doses could arrive from the U.S. this week
Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Ottawa could take delivery of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine doses from the United States as early as this week. Ottawa’s ongoing talks with the Biden administration about dipping into the U.S. supply of COVID-19 vaccines scored a win last week — a plan to send 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine across the border to Canada. Anand told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton last week that the deal was arranged with the help of Canada’s top diplomat in Washington, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman. “We’ve put a number of different scenarios on the table. And it’s just wonderful that we’re able to come to an arrangement,” Anand said in an interview Friday on Rosemary Barton Live. “I just got off the phone with the company discussing the arrival of these doses. We are going to pick them up from the United States and they should be arriving hopefully next week, but definitely before the end of the month.” The White House confirmed Friday that the U.S. would allow exports of AstraZeneca doses to Canada and Mexico. The two-shot vaccine has a minimum shelf life of 60 days but has yet to be approved in the United States. Canada approved the vaccine back in February and has signed a contract to receive 20 million doses. “It’s because of the existence of that contract that we’re able to do an exchange transaction like this,” Anand said. “And in the future, when we have our 20 million doses coming in, we will return that amount to the U.S.” Minister ‘raised the importance’ of J&J’s schedule When asked whether the United States — which has been vaccinating its residents at a rate four times faster than Canada — would consider also releasing Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna doses, the minister said Canada has a robust vaccine portfolio of its own. “But my strategy is also to try to accelerate doses from one quarter to the next,” Anand said. “So while we have this diversified portfolio, by the same token, we are exploring all options to make sure we have the earliest deliveries for Canadians.” Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada Anita Anand oversees the off-loading of COVID-19 vaccines from a cargo aircraft with members of Canadian Border Services Agency in Montreal on Sunday, December 13, 2020.(The Canadian Press/HO-Canadian Armed Forces-Cpl Matthew Tower) One approved vaccine awaiting a delivery schedule is the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot. “I spoke with [Johnson & Johnson] on Thursday and in particular raised the importance of a delivery schedule as soon as possible so that the provinces and territories can do their planning,” Anand said. Canada has inked a deal for up to 38 million doses of the vaccine, which does not need the same cold storage required by the Pfizer and Moderna shots. “We have to remember, though, that while we need a delivery schedule from J&J — and AstraZeneca, for those 20 million doses coming in from AZ — we already are seeing millions and millions of doses coming into this country from Pfizer, from Moderna, indeed, two million doses coming in next week,” Anand said. Waiting her turn for a shot Anand said that she and her two sisters act as a personal caregivers for her father. Watching him receive his vaccine, she said, was “a very emotional moment.” “Just being the person who has led the procurement of these vaccines, to see him actually vaccinated was incredible,” she said. “There are funny moments in our relationship when he constantly provides me with news that he has read about vaccines, which happens to be the news that I’m working on at the current time.” The minister said she’ll be waiting her turn to get a shot of her own. You can watch full episodes of Rosemary Barton Live on CBC Gem, the CBC’s streaming service.
-
Reuters
U.S., Europe press Turkey to rethink ditching violence-on-women pact
U.S. and European leaders denounced what they called Turkey’s baffling and concerning decision to pull out of an international accord designed to protect women from violence, and urged President Tayyip Erdogan to reconsider. Erdogan’s government on Saturday withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, which it signed onto in 2011 after it was forged in Turkey’s biggest city. Turkey said domestic laws, not outside fixes, would protect women’s rights.
-
CBC
‘They’re petri dishes for COVID-19’: Advocates call for decarceration, vaccination of inmates
One year since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in an Ontario jail, a new report by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) shows issues like overcrowding persist, and the spread of variants of concern mean outbreaks are only getting worse. On Saturday, protesters gathered outside Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton, Ont., a facility that’s been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19, to call for better protection for inmates. “These are packed institutions, they’re petri dishes for COVID-19,” said Rajean Hoilett who attended the protest. Hoilett is with the Toronto Prisoners’ Rights Project, a grassroots organization of researchers, students, front-line workers and people with lived experience inside prisons who work to educate the public about the harms of incarceration. The Maplehurst Correctional Complex, in Milton, Ont., has seen 116 inmates and 59 staff test positive for COVID-19 since Feb. 3, 2021. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) Throughout the pandemic, the group has demanded that the provincial government take immediate action to protect inmates from the virus. “Prisoners are folks who are often living with underlying health conditions, these are the people in our community that if they get this disease, will have their lives either ended or uprooted.” He said prisoners on the inside have told the group that conditions continue to deteriorate in Ontario correctional facilities. “We’re having folks who are not given masks, guards are coming into the cells without masks. It’s already impossible to socially distance,” he said. Over 7,000 infections linked to prisons since March 2020: report In March of last year, the first prisoner to test positive for the novel coronavirus in a Canadian prison was detected at Toronto South Detention Centre, the report says. Since then, it goes on, more than 7,000 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to Canadian prisons, 5,000 of which are among prisoners. The report, released on Saturday by the CCLA as part of its Prison Pandemic Partnership — which tracks the spread of COVID-19 in provincial-territorial and federal prisons across Canada — shows crowding, increased cases of variants of concern and a lack of vaccinations for inmates are contributing to the spike in prison outbreaks across the country. It found incarceration rates in Ontario, which sat at 5,811 prisoners in June 2020, came back up to near pre-pandemic numbers to 7,111 in March 2021. “We’re having folks who are not given masks, guards are coming into the cells without masks. It’s already impossible to socially distance,” said Rajean Hoilett, who is with the Toronto Prisoners’ Rights Project.(Rob Krbavac/CBC) “In the first wave of the pandemic, we saw a 30 per cent reduction here in Ontario of all of these jails,” said Hoilett, pointing to the province’s release of some inmates to combat overcrowding of prisons at the start of the pandemic. “They’ve abandoned that strategy. We started to see numbers go back up and it’s really just led to widespread outbreaks. We’ve just been hearing week after week … a new outbreak in a new jail.” The most recent outbreak was declared at Toronto South Detention Centre, which reported 70 cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, of which 36 are linked to a variant of concern, according to the city’s public health agency. The cases follow an earlier outbreak in December at the same facility when 54 inmates tested positive for COVID-19. No clear vaccination plan for inmates, advocates say Hoilett said the government has neglected to make any definitive or clear plans to vaccinate prisoners, something he said would be met by outrage if it were happening to other vulnerable facilities such as long-term care homes. “We’ve heard folks like Doug Ford say some reprehensible things about trying to deny vaccines to prisoners simply because they’re in prison,” he said. “It’s that kind of racist thinking, that kind of dehumanizing thinking that has a lot of us worried about what will happen as the pandemic and the new variants continue to spread.” In a statement to CBC News, the Ministry of the Solicitor General says it is working to keep people inside facilities safe during COVID-19, having added new measures such as testing and screening for all new inmates and ensuring they’re isolated from the general public inside for 14 days. In terms of vaccinations, the ministry said that based on direction and local considerations, some public health units have begun vaccinating inmates and correctional staff at their local correctional facilities this month. ‘Prisons and jails are part of our community,’ expert says The government has not released more details on the vaccination plan for inmates, which experts say is concerning. Kevin Walby, associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Winnipeg and one of the authors of the CLCA report, says as Ontario enters what many health experts and infectious disease specialists in the province are calling a third wave, vaccinations for inmates must be prioritized. “I’m not sure that we are paying enough attention to congregate settings right now as we enter the third wave … prisons and jails are definitely an overlooked setting of this type.” He said that the prison and jail institutions are mandated to keep the people who are incarcerated safe. He also said that any time COVID-19 accelerates in congregate settings, it can spill out into the community. “A lot of times in Canada, we treat people who are criminalized, who are imprisoned, who are behind bars as second-class citizens, and we treat them in ways that are often inhumane. And this is a big problem.” Walby said the group is calling on all levels of government in Canada to decarcerate some inmates and allow them to complete their sentences in the community to curb the crowding in prisons as well as to prioritize inmates in their vaccination plans. “Let’s make vaccinations at all congregate settings a priority — including prisons and jails because we know that prisons and jails are part of our community.” Advocates say they will keep rallying until inmates are properly protected.
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Isolation due to Covid-19 restrictions has added to mental health factors
Isolation has always been a factor in the mental health of agricultural producers in the region, especially during the winter months, and its impact has only been amplified through the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase in isolation has been noticed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Saskatchewan branch. Senior Consultant, David Nelson with CMHA Saskatchewan says he has seen an increase in calls to the Farm Stress Line and to the CMHA. “I understand that the Farm Stress Line has had more calls as well. At CMHA we don’t necessarily ask if they are a producer or not, but we have had lots of calls from rural areas and other areas of people who are under stress and looking for support,” Nelson explained. While CMHA Saskatchewan does not provide counseling, they do listen to what the callers have to say and will offer suggestions for the next steps moving forward. “We generally listen to the story of their issues, we speak to them about their situation. We don’t do formal counseling, but what we can do is recommend them a place that might be near them and they can get counseling from.” Nelson notes that there are different types of stressors that can be seen in producers who call, the most commonly seen being the loneliness brought on by the winter months. He explained that loneliness is something that can be easily treated, but has run into complications due to the pandemic. “There are all kinds of issues that pop up. I think that the loneliness and the general feeling that you can get depressed at this time of year, from Christmas until now, there’s the seasonal affective disorder kinds of issues that can pop up. Family stressors with people suddenly being unable to leave home or working from home.” To help cope with loneliness, Nelson says that producers should do anything they can to avoid isolation. While the public health order suggests staying home, Nelson believes that producers should take any opportunity to get out of the house when it is safe to do so. “Do not isolate yourself. As much as you can, on social media or by phone or whatever means you have, keep in contact with friends and relatives so that you don’t feel like you’re so cooped up in your home,” Nelson explained. “It’s fine to go out and get some fresh air, but not in this kind of weather,” he laughed. “In better weather, you can go for a walk, you can do outside activities, as long as you’re not in a group of people too close.” Nelson warns that social media is a double-edged blade. While it can be great for keeping in contact with both friends and family, it can become a rabbit hole that leads to what Nelson dubs ‘Doom Scrolling’. Doom Scrolling is the act of continually scrolling through social media and taking in a constant flow of negative information. Nelson says that this can quickly become a factor in stress. “Another thing to do is to not do this kind of thing we call ‘Doom Scrolling’, which is really just watching more and more information about COVID or about the world in general,” Nelson explained. “Some of that is fine, but it’s easy for people to get sucked in and start watching that too much and that really affects your mood and your ability to cope with stress as well.” While social media provides a great opportunity to keep in touch, Nelson says it is wise to limit yourself while on it. “I think it’s all too easy for us when we get stressed or anxious to get caught up in the nonsense going on in social media.” For those who feel that their sense of isolation or depression has become worse, Nelson recommends counseling. He says that there is a stigma around going to counseling or therapy, but it is designed to help. Counseling provides an opportunity to speak with someone who can give a new opinion on the things a producer might be facing and offer solutions to the problems. “Sometimes with counseling there’s the feeling that there must be something wrong with you if you’re going to counseling, but the fact of the matter is sometimes just talking to somebody outside of a friend or relative that doesn’t have a lot of baggage so to speak to bring along can really help to clear your mind of some of these concerns and actually give you coping mechanisms” Nelson said that if there are thoughts of self-harm, the individual should immediately go to the hospital and seek help. Spencer Kemp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
-
CBC
Alberta records 556 new cases of COVID-19 and 99 new variant cases
A total of 556 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the Alberta government’s daily update. The number of active cases around the province has now risen to 5,618. There are now 279 people in hospital due to COVID-19 in Alberta, and of that group 47 people are in intensive care. There were 9,979 COVID-19 tests administered in the last 24 hours in Alberta. Friday marked the first day since Nov. 22 with no additional deaths recorded as a result of COVID-19. On Saturday, four more deaths were reported in the province. The four additional deaths include two men in their 70s and a man in his 80s in the Edmonton zone, and a woman in her 60s in Alberta’s south zone. A total of 1,961 people have died from COVID-19 in Alberta as of Saturday. Here is a regional breakdown of active cases across Alberta: Calgary zone: 2,296 Edmonton zone: 1,310 Central zone: 534 South zone: 724 North zone: 735 Unknown: 19 The province also recorded 99 new cases of COVID-19 variants. All of these new cases were the B117 variant first identified in the U.K. There were 759 active COVID-19 variant cases in Alberta as of Saturday, 13.5 per cent of the total number of active cases. Monday will mark three weeks since Alberta moved to Step 2 of its reopening plan, and is the earliest date the province can move further ahead to Step 3. Step 3 eases restrictions in areas including: Adult team sports Casinos, racing centres and bingo halls Further easing of youth sport and recreation activities Indoor social gatherings, with restrictions Indoor seated events (movie theatres and auditoria) Museums, art galleries, zoos, interpretive centres Places of worship To move to Step 3, the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 must be lower than 300 and declining. Premier Jason Kenney said Thursday a final decision on moving forward has not been made.
-
The Canadian Press
Brighton eases relegation fears with 3-0 win over Newcastle
BRIGHTON, England — Brighton pulled six points clear of the bottom three in the Premier League with a dominant 3-0 win over relegation rival Newcastle on Saturday. Newcastle went into the game having won just two of its last 17 league matches and stayed two points above the relegation zone as Brighton recorded only its second league victory at the Amex Stadium this campaign. Leandro Trossard’s curling shot put the home side ahead in first-half stoppage time. Danny Welbeck then doubled Brighton’s lead with a well-struck shot into the corner six minutes into the second half, and Neal Maupay’s 68th-minute volley sealed all three points. After 30 minutes, Brighton had enjoyed 75% of the possession and it was one-way traffic for the whole match, with Newcastle having to wait until the 37th for a first meaningful chance when Jamaal Lascelles headed wide. Moments later, Maupay had a good opportunity at the other end after being picked out by Trossard, but his shot was blocked by Ciaran Clark. Things got worse for Newcastle just before halftime when Isaac Hayden was hurt in a challenge with Yves Bissouma, and he had to be carried off on a stretcher. Brighton took the lead when Trossard collected the ball on the edge of the box from Joel Veltman’s long pass forward, before turning and curling it into the corner. Newcastle had an opportunity to equalize at the start of the second half when Miguel Almiron found Ryan Fraser in space on the left, and the Scotland international curled the ball towards the goal only for it to bounce out off the post. Welbeck’s goal came when the 30-year-old former Manchester United forward was found by Trossard and he cut inside on to his right foot before firing the ball into the back of the net from 20 yards. Brighton made sure of the points when Pascal Gross crossed for Maupay, who steered home his volley for his first goal in 10 games. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Courtney Schaefer remembered with Esterhazy event
Emergency responders gathered on the side of the road in Esterhazy Sunday to remember Courtney Schaefer, a tow truck driver who was killed when responding to an emergency call during a blizzard four years ago. Remembering Courtney Dallas Baillie of Baillie Brothers Towing said the event in Esterhazy Sunday served two purposes. “We wanted to make the memorial and move over and slow down campaign the same event together, and so ourselves with the tow company, EMS, police and fire all worked together. “The idea was to make it basically a memorial to Courtney and to get our message across about the slow down and move over laws in Saskatchewan for anybody that is working on the side of the road, whether it’s emergency vehicles or construction workers or whatever. This will be the fourth year that we’ve done it. We started doing this the year that Courtney was killed.” The first ‘slow down, move over’ event quickly spread across the province, and led to changes in provincial legislation, such as allowing blue flashing lights on tow trucks, not just the traditional amber lights. Baillie said he was surprised how the first event in 2017 captured the public’s imagination. “It took off all over, and I think that is just a testament to how important safety is to all of us that work on the side of the highway, whether it’s EMS, fire, tow trucks, tire change guys, whatever, because at the end of the day we all want to go home too. “It’s a big movement. I “It’ll be a good time to say our prayers and remember Courtney. “It’s unfortunate an accident had to happen to get this movement going. But because of it the movement is all over Western Canada now and we’re working on sending our message down into the Eastern provinces, but we’ve got a pretty good stronghold on Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta for the slow down and move over laws.” What did he hope the event got across to the public? “We just want people to understand that if you see flashing lights on the side of the road, it really doesn’t matter what color of flashing lights, that means something is going on there, so slow down, move over, give room to whoever it is working on the side of the road because at the end of the day everybody wants to go home from their job and some jobs are more dangerous than others. We’re working for our families and a living, and we just want to go home safe.” Baillie said he sees the slow down, move over movement as one positive coming out of the tragic accident at Esterhazy four years ago. “It was a tragic event but it happened and it brought much more publicity to the fact that we need safety on our highways,” Baillie said. “Today’s drivers are so much more distracted than they were even five years ago, with all of the technology in vehicles. They need to pay attention when they’re on the road. An accident like that was very tragic but again it started this movement and this movement is getting stronger every year.” Baillie said he was happy that members of Courtney Schaefer’s family were able to be at the event in Esterhazy. “We stand on the side of the road, just to show respect to Courtney and his family, and Kim has been a great advocate for this,” he said. “Obviously she was impacted because of the tragedy in her life, but she’s been instrumental in helping us with this movement, and so every year we want to recognize her and her young daughter for allowing us to continue to go ahead with this movement, basically in Courtney’s name.” Legislation one legacy of Courtney Shaefer’s death One change that came about in response to Courtney Shaefer’s death is a change in provincial legislation. In April 2017, the Government of Saskatchewan introduced and passed legislation to improve safety for tow truck operators. The Traffic Safety Amendment Act permits blue light to be used in conjunction with amber lights on tow trucks. The legislation was introduced and passed in the same day—which requires the unanimous support of the Legislature—after Schaefer was killed March 7, 2017 in a collision along the roadside near the Gerald area during blizzard conditions. Saskatchewan became the first jurisdiction in Canada to introduce a two-color lighting combination for tow trucks. Since then, Slow Down Move Over Day has been introduced and has grown each year. None Rob Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Community rallies around Levi Jamieson
In October, 2020, Moosomin high school student Levi Jamieson was in an ATV accident and was rushed to Regina General Hospital by STARS air ambulance before being flown to Royal University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Saskatoon. As a result of the accident, Jamieson lost the use of his legs and is adjusting to a wheelchair. While in the hospital recovering, and upon his return home to Moosomin, the community has rallied around the family to show their support. There have been numerous fundraisers for the family, a Love 4 Levi account opened at Conexus Credit Union for donations, and people all around offering a hand to the family when they need one. Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for Levi and his family through the community support. Levi—who has been actively involved in 4H and his family farm since childhood, and who has his own herd of cattle now—hasn’t let anything slow him down since coming home. He has returned to school, is back out helping on the farm, and having fun doing the things he loves like hunting, skidooing, and driving a team of horses. He has even tried his hand at sledge hockey. It has been a long journey for the Jamieson family since the accident, however, things are starting to improve thanks to Levi’s resilience in physiotherapy. The Jamieson family has been going to Regina every week, since Levi returned home, for his physiotherapy, but as he progresses, they’ll be able to do more of it in town. “We go to Regina every week,” says Levi’s dad, Darcy Jamieson. “Sometimes it’s two days and we stay overnight and sometimes it’s just in and out. Most of it (physiotherapy) now is strengthening, which can be done mostly here (Moosomin). It’s that and balancing. We can do a lot of it at home too, the days that we aren’t there. “When he left here in the air (on the STARS air ambulance), they stopped in Regina and then she (Levi’s mom Diane) jumped in the jet with him from Regina to Saskatoon,” said Darcy. “The Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon was amazing to us.” Levi was in a medically induced coma from Oct. 18 until Oct. 23. On Oct. 23 he was given an MRI, which determined he required surgery on his back. “He was in Saskatoon from October 18 to November 4—October 24 was surgery—and the Ronald McDonald House charges $10 a night for families and they provide some meals. You don’t realize what a facility like that does for you until you need it,” said Levi’s mom Diane. “He wasn’t awake for two weeks. Then we moved to the (Regina) General until December 14, and from there to Wascana Rehabilitation Centre.” “Surgery is pretty much done,” said Darcy. “But we’re going to try and see another specialist—the Shriners have reached out to us to see one of their specialists and they’re working on that as we speak.” “The physiotherapist said she’s amazed because everything she throws at him he either does or figures out a way to do it,” said Diane. “He’s adapting very well.” Coming home from Regina was a milestone in itself for Levi, and being the animal lover he is, it was a treat to see all his animals on the farm again. “It was good to see everyone,” said Levi Jamieson, “and good to see the pets again—it was good to see all the dogs.” “I think at one point every dog we had was up in the bed with him,” said Darcy with a laugh. Things aren’t as easy as they were before for the Jamieson family, but the family is adapting to the changes, and Levi’s positive attitude has been a big factor in his quick adjustment. “It’s challenging with this wheelchair, but we were in the barn and he was in with his Jersey cow when she had her calf,” said Diane. “He’s been out and about. It takes a little bit more time to get to places he wants to go.” “You don’t just jump up and say, ‘lets go down to the World-Spectator,’ it takes planning,” said Darcy. The Jamiesons says that Darcy Rambold at Pharmasave in Moosomin is currently working on ordering an Action Trackstander for Levi, which would allow him to be more mobile. Levi says he is up for the new challenges ahead and already has goals going forward and his wheelchair isn’t slowing him down or stopping him from embracing his favorite outdoor activities once again. “I want to get back to riding my dirt bike and working with the cattle,” says Levi. “He has been skidooing,” says Darcy. “We had him skidooing New Year’s Eve on the front lawn. He was riding a small skidoo but I’m going to fix up his big one and he plans on riding it this year. He went out on the ice on the sledge and he’s been driving the team of horses—we went out for sleigh rides one day at the farm.” “First thing he did when he got home was shoot a deer,” adds Diane. “We got the special permit to shoot out of a vehicle from the game wardens,” said Darcy. “We worked on that when we were in the hospital and we got that all taken care of and we got him home that weekend (the last weekend in November) and he shot a deer—that was the plan of coming home, to get him out deer hunting and to get him away and active for a bit. You can only lay in a hospital for so long. It was the best therapy to get him out of there and get him home.” “He was asking the doctor to let him go and they couldn’t believe how strong he was after he came back from his two days at home,” said Diane Jamieson. “It was a different atmosphere and where he wanted to be so it was good.” Despite Levi’s impressive advancements, the Jamieson family knows there are more obstacles ahead and right now they’re focused on doing everything they can to make things accessible for Levi. “We have a ramp and it’s 24 feet now, but it still probably should be another eight feet longer,” said Darcy. “Renovations will be challenging, that’s the key,” said Diane. “Right now he’s downstairs in the living room because all of the bedrooms are upstairs. We’re looking at lots of different things right now. We’re looking at getting different saddles so he can get back on his horse—we’re trying to adapt.” “There’s a guy down in Greenville, Texas who makes saddles with back supports on them—he’s been making them for 25 years,” Darcy said. “We’ve been talking to him a bit and we’re trying to get one. We have to do some measuring and fitting on him to send and he’ll make a saddle for him. Then he can get back on the horse and do a bit of roping.” One thing the Jamieson family can’t put into words is the appreciation they have for the community support they’ve received. They’ve always known the community here was strong, but to feel the value of a small community’s kindness first-hand has been life-changing for them. “I didn’t think that would be there (the community support),” said Levi. “It’s great to have the support.” “It’s pretty overwhelming,” said Diane “it’s amazing to see all the community’s support. Saying thank you doesn’t seem to be enough. From texts to prayers to phone calls to food to donations, it was way overwhelming. There’s been so many phone calls just offering help with anything—it’s been from the moment it happened. We learned what we always knew about the Moosomin community, the surrounding areas, and all around. From the bottom of our hearts, it’s unbelievable. I can’t say enough.” “I don’t think anybody expects support like that in any case,” said Darcy. “It’s very overwhelming. We’ve always supported things ourselves so it’s great that you get support back. We can’t make the thank you big enough. Some of the stuff that was going on, we were watching it—like the heifer donation auction and the cow pie bingo (fundraiser)—we watched that on TV in Saskatoon—and the nurses and doctors couldn’t believe it because they’re in a big city, so they couldn’t believe it. They were all standing there and watching it with us and couldn’t believe it. I don’t think there’s a person in this community that would turn us down if we needed something.” Both Darcy and Diane also say that since the accident, they now understand the real need for a paved runway in Moosomin—a project that is currently in the works—so that the Sask air ambulance can land in Moosomin and take direct flights to Saskatoon, where Levi was transported after landing in Regina on the STARS helicopter. Rob Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
-
The Canadian Press
Another Alberta union rejects province’s request for more bargaining delays
EDMONTON — The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says its nursing care members and general support workers in health care have rejected a request from the province’s health delivery agency to extend a delay on contract talks until the end of June. The union says in an update on its website that it told Alberta Health Services it wants to get back to the bargaining table. It explains the union agreed to a delay back in January in order to get job security, as well as access to COVID-19 isolation pay and other benefits for nurses. Finance Minister Travis Toews calls the union’s decision “disappointing” in a news release, and claims the union was turning down pandemic supports and protections for its workers. Toews accused the union of wanting AHS to shift its focus away from the pandemic to their labour demands. Also this week, United Nurses of Alberta, which represents registered nurses, served notice that it, too, wants to return to bargaining after agreeing to delays in order to focus on the pandemic. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2021 The Canadian Press
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Rebates coming to SGI customers in May
Saskatchewan Government Insurance will pass on roughly $350 million in earnings to the people of Saskatchewan by issuing one-time rebates to all registered vehicle owners, and also improving injury benefits for its most seriously injured customers. The provincial Crown corporation has a strong balance sheet due to a number of factors, including fewer collision claims due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “The Saskatchewan Auto Fund Rate Stabilization Reserve is in a very strong financial position due to very strong investment returns and – to a smaller degree – fewer collision claims due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister Responsible for SGI Don Morgan said. “As a result, SGI will pass on these earnings to the people of Saskatchewan by issuing rebates to all registered vehicle owners and by improving injury benefits.” Rebates to be issued to vehicle owners this spring The provincial government has approved the one-time rebate of $285 million. The amount each customer receives will vary, and it will be calculated based on a proportion of vehicle premiums paid in the previous three years. Details are still being finalized, but it’s expected the average rebate will work out to approximately $285 per vehicle or approximately 26 per cent of an average annual premium in Saskatchewan. The Auto Fund, which all Saskatchewan vehicle owners pay into via their insurance premiums, maintains the Rate Stabilization Reserve (RSR). Maintaining a healthy balance in the RSR protects customers against sudden rate fluctuations due to unexpected cost pressures. The RSR is one of the reasons that SGI customers enjoy, on average, the lowest rates for basic auto insurance in Canada and have not experienced significant rate increases, despite the rapidly rising cost of repairing today’s modern vehicles. The amount in the RSR is heavily impacted by the performance of its well-diversified investment portfolio. After losses last March, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the RSR experienced strong investment earnings over the past fiscal year, especially in the last quarter. This allows SGI to absorb the one-time cost associated with issuing rebates, while remaining in a position to protect customers from significant rate hikes going forward. Even with issuing the rebate, the RSR will meet industry standards to protect against unexpected cost fluctuations. Rebate cheques will be issued in May and sent through the mail to customers who have paid Auto Fund premiums in the past three years and are residents of Saskatchewan. Customers are encouraged to verify that their mailing address is up to date by visiting www.MySGI.ca to confirm or by contacting their local motor licence issuer. Enhanced benefits for most seriously injured customers SGI is also implementing two significant enhancements for customers who receive long-term injury benefits as a result of being injured in vehicle collisions. Customers who require assistance with daily tasks (i.e., dressing, bathing, cooking, cleaning and yard care) will see the maximum payments for those services increase to better reflect current market rates. This is expected to benefit more than 1,100 SGI customers. SGI customers who receive income replacement benefits from SGI and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) will no longer have income benefits from SGI reduced by their CPP payment. It is standard industry practice to reduce insurance benefits by the CPP payment. SGI is leading the industry by eliminating this practice, to the added benefit of our most seriously injured customers. It is estimated that this will benefit approximately 200 people. The World-Spectator’s Spencer Kemp reached out to SGI Chief Financial Officer Jeff Stepan to answer some questions about the rebate. SGI is distributing roughly $350 million to Saskatchewan residents. Are these earnings brought on by a surplus? “It’s really a surplus that has built up over the last three years. We need to keep a reserve and we call it the Rate Stabilization Reserve. We need to keep it to make sure we have sufficient money to pay claims, plus we want to have a buffer so that if we have a bad storm season we don’t have to jack up rates. What’s happened over the last few years and particularly the last year we’ve had very strong investment earnings that have boosted that reserve above what’s required. We’ve also had lower insurance claims because of the pandemic. Fewer cars on the road mean fewer claims. That combination has put us in a position where we have excess capital that can be refunded back to the people of Saskatchewan.” Why did SGI choose to provide a rebate instead of reinvesting the funds? “The auto fund is managed on a break-even basis. Any money that comes in is used to pay claims or pay administrative costs. Because of that, all the money just stays within the auto fund. The only real option was to keep building up our capital and it just made more sense to pass that back on to the people of Saskatchewan.” Why now? “The position that we’re in now allowed us to do this. The two ways that we could have effectively reduced the capital is we could have lowered rates and people would have had lower rates going forward for the next few years or we could have done this rebate. The rebate, given the pandemic and situation we are in economically, it was decided that this was the best option to get cash in people’s hands when they need it the most. The rebate option was chosen, and when we look at our year-to-date results we were in a position where we could afford it and still be prudent about it. We’re still sitting with a capital that is just above our target.” How are the rebates determined per vehicle? “What we’re doing is looking at the last three years of premiums that individuals have paid. Then we’re going to add up the premiums the customers have paid and an individual customer’s portion of that amount is going to be applied to the available funds. So if you have a higher-cost vehicle to insure, then you are going to be getting a bigger rebate than somebody who has not put as much into insurance premiums.” What is the full range of the rebates? “It really varies. Some people might have only registered a vehicle for a portion of a year, which would mean they would get a very small rebate. But then there are some people and some companies that have fleets of vehicles that would be getting a fairly substantial rebate. It’s hard to say what the minimum and maximum would be. We haven’t run all of the numbers yet, so we don’t have that information.” Will the funding be available for both commercial and personal vehicles? “It’s available for all vehicles. So commercial, personal, trailers, and any kind of vehicle that was registered with the auto fund.” What is the eligibility for the rebate? “You have to be a resident of Saskatchewan. So even if you have paid premiums but have moved out of the province, then you are not eligible. If you have money owing to the auto fund, then what we’re going to do is net the rebate against the amount owing. If you owe $200 but get a rebate of $285, what you would get is a cheque for $85 instead.” How are payments received? “They’re going to receive a cheque in the mail. There is nothing they need to do. We will be mailing out cheques. The one thing that we ask people to do is to make sure they have their current address on file. They can do that through MySGI or ExpressAddress. Just make sure the address is current on file and they will receive a cheque in may.” Rob Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Skate path proved popular
The Peter Nabholz Circle Skate Way has seen huge success through the winter months by providing Moosomin residents with a place they can enjoy the crisp winter air while maintaining a safe social distance. The skate way was originally set up to help provide more ice for skaters due to the COVID-19 restrictions, but the Director of Parks and Recreation for Moosomin, Mike Schwean, says it will return each winter. “When we put our outdoor arena ice in, the COVID restrictions told us we would be limited to 10 people on the outdoor arena, which has since changed. But regardless, we felt that wasn’t accomodating enough for enough people so we built a skate way with COVID-19 in mind. We made it 12 feet wide so people can pass and keep their distance. So that’s why we made it, because of the COVID restrictions. As luck would have it, restrictions changed to allow us to have up to 60 people on the skate way, which is pretty cool. We did it just because of COVID-19, and COVID-19 has been devastating but we’ve had something good come of it,” said Schwean. He explained that the project originally was just intended to be provided for the winter to help keep more people on the ice, but the skate way’s popularity grew throughout the winter months. The skate way has also provided a great source for activity for the Saskatchewan Blue Cross Go Out and Play Challenge, a challenge where communities can log hours of activity and compete for a grand prize of $10,000. The grand prize money must go towards a community project that will benefit outdoor activity. Something Schwean says would go towards expanding the skate way for next winter if Moosomin won. “If we were fortunate enough to win even though we had some issues with the warm weather, we wanted to expand the skate way next year and that’s something we would look to do. The skate way was a tremendous success this year and we learned a lot doing it and we’ve kind of got a better understanding of how we can expand that area. Having said that, I think the important thing for us was having the opportunity to put the skate way in place this year. We’re committed to expanding that regardless if we won the grand prize or not. I think we realize just what we have and what we can do next year. So we’ll look at ways to get funding and expand that skate way and make it into not just one skate way, but maybe two or three skate ways.” Unfortunately due to a sudden streak of warm weather causing the ice to melt at the skate way, Schwean explains they were concerned about being unable to utilize it for the Go Out and Play Challenge. But even with the bumps in the road, Schwean has big plans for the future of the skate way. “Our plan for Go out and Play was to use the skate way, but the weather was so warm that it was our concern that the ice wouldn’t be good enough to use. So a couple of weeks before the event starting there is a lot of time and effort that needs to be put in leading up to the challenge, so we just decided that we had other things we needed to focus on and made the decision that we wouldn’t invest too much time in it. We didn’t feel like we lost, though. We have people using the skate way which is a great thing and we have a vision for an absolutely amazing facility next year so we don’t consider ourselves losers in the challenge, the key is just for people to get out and enjoy it, and that’s the most important thing. Our vision for the future is going to be fantastic.” One plan they have in mind is using the skate way for holiday events, something they had considered earlier this year but were too late to act on. “In November we saw a tremendous opportunity for holiday skating and holiday events so next year we hope to get out on the park in October and decorate it for the holiday season and winter and then do something for Christmas, whether it’s a hot-chocolate night or a festival night that kind of thing. We have lots of plans for that facility.” But it’s not just the skate way that Schwean promotes for outdoor activity, he explains that there’s plenty of different ways to enjoy the final days of winter outdoors. He says that there is something for everyone to enjoy. “The skate way and outdoor arena are two choices that we would highly recommend. There are other choices as well. I know the Fieldstone Campground has done some cross country skiing and there are also opportunities to snowshoe outside at the lake and go skating there. There are all kinds of opportunities around here that are not only great activities but inexpensive or free in a lot of cases. I think that’s really important. There’s really a lot of options for us to get out and about here in Moosomin and we’re fortunate to have as many amenities as we do in such a short distance. There’s everything from skating to skiing to tobogganing to snowshoeing and fishing. They’re great activities. There’s really a lot of things to do.” The Saskatchewan Blue Cross Go Out and Play Challenge began on March 1st and will run until March 10th, the winning community will be declared on March 12th. Spencer Kemp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
-
The Canadian Press
Public health pandemic ‘alert’ system didn’t operate as intended for COVID-19: report
An interim review of why Ottawa’s early pandemic warning system failed to issue a formal alert on COVID-19 has described a lack of detailed knowledge of the system by senior managers. The audit dated Feb. 26, and released on Saturday, was ordered by federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu after reports the Global Public Health Intelligence Network didn’t operate as intended at the onset of the pandemic. The interim report concluded the monitoring system did identify the outbreak of the pneumonia that would become COVID-19 on the night of Dec. 30, 2019, and included this information from Wuhan, China, in a special report to Canadian public health officials the next day. But the report notes that without sending up a formal alert, international partners that rely on Canada’s information were left to rely on other sources. “That (the system) identified early open‑source signals of what would become COVID‑19 and promptly alerted senior management does not mean that the system is operating as smoothly or as clearly as it could and should,” the report concluded. “As international subscribers only receive alerts, some jurisdictions did not receive an early signal directly.” The review panel includes Mylaine Breton and Paul Gully, who are both experts in public health and health policy, and Margaret Bloodworth, who has a background in national security. The panel’s report also found that prior to the pandemic, the alert system lacked standard operating procedures. Senior managers also didn’t fully understand the rationale and the intended audience for alerts, it added. The system is set up to gather thousands of internet-based reports from around the globe, which are narrowed down to items that are deemed credible enough for public health officials to explore further and compile into a daily report. But more serious items about potential pandemics and other risks were to result in “alerts,” where subscribers are told “there is a signal they may wish to take notice of or follow up on,” the report said. The review found there were no written procedures governing the issuance of these alerts prior to fall 2020. “The panel has also heard from some senior management directly overseeing (the system) who could not describe the purpose or audience for alerts, and may not have had a complete understanding of their intent,” the report read. The system was set up in the 1990s to scan the internet for open source news and early signals of health threats. Over time, it received upgrades to allow it to use human analysis to track the threats and — according to the review — provided the World Health Organization with about 20 per cent of its early-stage intelligence on epidemics. There’s been a wide variation of the frequency of these alerts over the past 10 years, with 887 sent out in 2009 — largely in relation to the H1N1 pandemic — followed by 198 in 2013, corresponding with the H7N9 outbreak. Only one, in contrast, was issued in 2019, with the last alert before the pandemic going out May 2019. The panelists say it’s clear that “some form of direction was given to pause the alert process,” and that the level of approval for alerts was elevated and then downgraded at least once. However, the authors said so far they haven’t seen any written documentation on the timeline of those changes, who requested them and why they might have occurred. Wesley Wark, an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa who is an expert on national security and intelligence issues, said in an email Saturday that he found it surprising this information wasn’t available to the panelists. “It is astounding that the panel could not identify any written documentation around the decision to cease the dissemination of alerts,” he said. Wark also said he’s pleased the next stage of the panel’s work will look at the wider context in which the early warning system operates. “The most important determination made by the panel, in my view, is the recognition of the need for it to look at the Public Health Agency of Canada risk assessment system,” he wrote. “The Global Public Health Intelligence Network’s work, it recognizes, cannot be separated from the system in which it needs to be embedded, which includes risk assessments and decision-making.” The panel said its final report, expected in May, will examine the “extent to which the Public Health Agency of Canada is providing useful intelligence to other stakeholders across Canada and internationally.” It will also look at the public health skills required of analysts and mid-level managers who work with the pandemic intelligence systems. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2021. Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Redvers council approves sidewalk tender
At their regular meeting Wednesday, Redvers Town Council passed a motion to accept a tender from B&A Holdings to resurface one block of sidewalk on Broadway Street in the downtown business core with a material called rubberstone. The block of sidewalk that would be resurfaced is south of Souris Avenue. Council reviewed two tenders at their meeting Wednesday. B&A Holding’s tender came in at $68,251.68. The other tender was from Prairie Rubber Paving who provided two prices—one for $55,147.02 for a recycled rubber product and one for $63,690.69 for new, manufactured rubber product. After some discussion, council decided to go with the tender from B&A, as the quote from Prairie Rubber Paving indicated that there could be additional costs if more work is needed above and beyond just laying down the product. Council noted that B&A had come to Redvers, measured the area to be surfaced, and as including additional work, such as sidewalk grinding, as part of his tender price, whereas Prairie Rubber Paving had not done any groundwork ahead of submitting their tender. They also noted that B&A, who is located in Alida, is a local contractor, and would not need to stay in a hotel to do the work, and his proximity to the town or Redvers would be more practical in getting the job done. B&A has also spoken with all of the business owners along that portion of Broadway Avenue about rubberizing their entry areas or steps if they are interested. The town has received a provincial grant to cover the majority of the cost of the sidewalk resurfacing. Plugged sewer delegation leads to discussion Council received a delegation from two homeowners to discuss if the town would cover the cost of an invoice to clear a blocked sewer line. The couple hired a plumber to auger their sewer and says the plumber hit an obstruction at 91 feet, which would mean the obstruction was on town property. Council told the homeowners that the town foreman had checked the manholes on the street at the time of the problem and confirmed that the town’s sewer was flowing. They worried that the obstruction hit by the auger had come from the homeowners’ private line and noted that no other homeowners on that street were experiencing a sewer backup, which would be the case if the town’s line were blocked. Council discussed the issue after the delegation had left. Some councillors felt the town should not pay the bill, as it could set a precedent when people have clogged sewers due to inappropriate material being flushed, while others felt it merited more investigation to ensure there is no problem with the town’s line in that area. The issue was tabled, and council asked CAO Bonnie Rutten to speak with the plumber involved to get more information before council makes a decision. Ministry of Environment says cell tower is a go SaskTel is planning to put a new cell tower up at 32 Railway Avenue in Redvers. Council received a letter from the Ministry of Environment at their meeting Wednesday. The letter was addressed to SaskTel, and was passed on to the town by SaskTel for information. The letter was to notify the town that after an environmental assessment of the land, there is material in the soil left over from the use of cinders that were used on the land. SaskTel has proposed a corrective action plan (CAP) to the Ministry of Environment which includes administrative controls in the form of a land use restriction, soil management strategy and a health and safety policy. The ministry says they accept the CAP and the project can move ahead. Access Communications adding missed services Council passed a motion to allow Access Communications to install services in a back alley between Warren Street and Wauchope Street on the south end of town. When the subdivision in that area was developed, Access provided infrastructure for whole subdivision but forgot to do one back alley. Council’s motion was for approval to bore 195 meters of two-inch conduit and coaxial cable, including four pedestals. Demolition permit approved Council passed a motion to approve building demolition permit. The permit is for the Western Star Motel, which was destroyed in a fire on January 17. Cleanup of the motel site is currently underway. Approach for new home approved Council passed a motion to approve the building of an approach to allow for access to a new home being moved onto a lot along the town’s perimeter road on the east side of town, south of Highway 13. The approach is being built by the RM of Antler. Spencer Kemp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
-
The Canadian Press
Spa shootings could be first test of Georgia hate crimes law
ATLANTA — The murder case against a white man charged with shooting and killing six women of Asian descent and two other people at Atlanta-area massage businesses this week could become the first big test for Georgia’s new hate crimes law. Robert Aaron Long, 21, told police that the attacks Tuesday at two spas in Atlanta and another massage business near suburban Woodstock were not racially motivated and claimed to have a sex addiction. Authorities said he apparently lashed out at what he saw as sources of temptation but were still investigating his motive. Because most of the victims were women of Asian descent, there’s skepticism of that explanation and public clamouring for hate crime charges, especially among the Asian American community, which has faced rising numbers of attacks since the coronavirus pandemic took hold. But, like many states, the Georgia law enacted last summer does not provide for a standalone hate crime, instead allowing an additional penalty when a person is convicted of another crime. “It’s not something you get arrested for. It’s a sentence enhancer,” said Pete Skandalakis, a former prosecutor and executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia. The law says an additional penalty can be applied for certain crimes if they are motivated by a victim’s race, colour, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, or mental or physical disability. Even before the law passed amid the national reckoning over racial injustice, the pandemic had largely paused court cases, so Skandalakis said he doesn’t believe the rule has been used yet. A hate crime charge can be included in an indictment or added at some point before trial. If a jury convicts the defendant of the underlying crime, prosecutors can present evidence for a hate crime sentencing enhancement. Defence attorneys can present their own evidence, and the jury deliberates again. If jurors find it’s a hate crime, there is a mandatory enhancement of at least two years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 for a felony. The federal government and some other states go further with laws that criminalize bias-motivated violence without requiring a conviction on an underlying crime. The U.S. Department of Justice could choose to bring federal hate crime charges independently of the state prosecutions. Federal investigators have not yet uncovered evidence to prove Long targeted the victims because of their race, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials had direct knowledge of the investigation but were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. In Georgia, the minimum sentence for murder is life in prison, with or without the possibility of parole after 30 years. Prosecutors also can seek the death penalty if the killing meets certain requirements. Long has been charged with eight counts of murder, and it will be up to Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon Wallace and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to decide whether to pursue the hate crime enhancement. Wallace said in a statement that she can’t answer specific questions about the case but that she is “acutely aware of the feelings of terror being experienced in the Asian-American community.” A representative for Willis did not respond to requests for comment. Given that someone convicted of multiple murders is unlikely to be released from prison, an argument could be made that it’s not worth the effort, time and expense to pursue a hate crime designation that carries a relatively small additional penalty. But Republican state Rep. Chuck Efstration, who sponsored the legislation, said it’s not just about the punishment. “It is important that the law calls things what they are,” he said. “It’s important for victims, and it’s important for society.” And the law needs to be used to give it teeth, said state Sen. Michelle Au, a Democrat who is Chinese American. Au believes there has been some resistance nationwide to charge attacks against Asian Americans as hate crimes because they are seen as “model minorities,” a stereotype that they are hard-working, educated and free of societal problems. She said she heard from many constituents in the last year that Asian Americans — and people of Chinese descent in particular — were suffering from bias because the coronavirus had emerged in China and then-President Donald Trump used racial terms to describe it. “People feel like they’re getting gaslighted because they see it happen every day,” she said. “They feel very clearly that it is racially motivated, but it’s not pegged or labeled that way. And people feel frustrated by that lack of visibility and that aspect being ignored.” In addition to sending a message to the community, it’s important for the new law to be used for legal reasons, Georgia State University law professor Tanya Washington said. While police have said it’s too soon to tell whether the spa shootings qualify as a hate crime, she said it seems obvious the violence was motivated by bias given the people and businesses targeted. “Unless we test it with cases like this one, we won’t have a body of law around how do you prove bias motivated the behaviour,” she said. The Georgia law also mandates collecting and reporting data on hate crimes investigated by law enforcement, which allows tracking and proper allocation of resources, Washington said. While many of the calls for a hate crime charge have focused on race, J. Tom Morgan, a former district attorney in Georgia, said it appears the victims’ gender motivated the shootings. “This, to me, is a sex crime hate crime where the victims happen to be Asian,” he said. Georgia was one of only four states without a hate crimes law when lawmakers quickly passed it last year following the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man pursued by armed white men last year, and national protests against racial injustice and police brutality. Georgia’s Supreme Court had overturned an earlier hate crimes statute in 2004, saying it was too broad. ___ Associated Press writers Jeff Amy in Atlanta and Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed reporting. Kate Brumback, The Associated Press
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Calgary arts community honours artist Amy Willier
Early this year, Amy Willier — a Cree artisan and entrepreneur in Calgary — passed away at the age of 38. Willier ran Moonstone Creation art gallery in Inglewood with her mother , Yvonne Jobin, for over a decade. The gallery provides cultural learning sessions and represents over 75 local Indigenous artists with a worldwide customer base. Melrene Saloy-Eaglespeaker, a close friend of Willier’s, said that the Moonstone Gallery is “internationally known, award-winning … they’re one of those stops you make when you come to Calgary.” ”Amy was so knowledgeable on every item, every artist, where it came from. She just took so much pride in the store, of being able to represent over 75 local Indigenous artists and to be able to talk about each one so passionately.” The loss of Amy is being felt by Calgary and the art community she was a part of, with many different dedications, tributes, and awards being established in her honour. Quickdraw Animation Society published a release which mourned the passing of Willier that said, “We are absolutely heartbroken to learn of Amy Willier’s passing. Amy was a vital part of so many communities, and Quickdraw was fortunate enough to be one of them. From the joyful animations she created with her son Colton, to the masks our staff have been wearing since the start of the pandemic, to the friendship and inspiration she gave, her contributions will be felt for a long time to come.” “Our most heartfelt condolences go out to Amy’s friends and family, and to the many, many others who are coming to terms with her loss.” Quickdraw Animation also posted two animations that Willier made to their website. In honour of Willier, Festival Hall in Inglewood is hosting an augmented reality mural. The mural features art from local artist Tank Standing Buffalo accompanied by works from local music group Ghostkeeper, both of whom collaborated with Willier in the past. It is available for interaction from Feb. 20 – Mar. 31. Kerry Clarke, artistic director for Calgary Folk Music Festival, said “She was what’s called a knowledge keeper, she also was a mentor and an artist herself. A really central person in this community.” “A festival neighbour and Inglewood neighbour.” Also in honour of Willier, Indigenous Tourism Alberta created the Amy Willier Memorial Artisan grant, which is $8000 to support artisan businesses 51% Indigenously owned that sell locally produced Indigenous artist work. It was open from Feb. 22 — to Mar. 10. Now Avenue Magazine’s annual Made in Alberta Awards have also added a permanent category to their awards called the Amy Willier Award for Indigenous Artists. This category is open to all Indigenous makers and Indigenous-owned businesses and is free to enter. The overall grand prize winner of the Made in Alberta awards will receive $5,000 in cash, but the winner of each category will be featured in Avenue magazine and the Made in Alberta magazine in October of each year. They will also receive a $1,000 advertising credit with Avenue. Amy was described as a vivacious, kind, and loving Cree Knowledge Keeper, educator, artist, and entrepreneur. “She shone her light far in the world,” said the Calgary Herald’s obituary for Willier. “A member of Sucker Creek First Nation, she loved living off the land in her traditional ways, hunting and picking medicine, all while sporting her signature bright red lipstick and mischievous grin.” Amy is survived by her Mom Yvonne Jobin, son Colton (age 12), niece Mya (age 16), nephew AJ (age 8), siblings Aaron, Joe, Leah, Russell Jr. and numerous beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. None Jacob Cardinal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News
-
The Canadian Press
Germany women’s soccer stars slam court for sexist judgment
BERLIN — Germany women’s soccer stars are calling for an explanation over why a male coach was apparently ordered to take charge of a female team’s training sessions as part of his punishment for verbally abusing female match officials. The players from the top two divisions issued a joint statement Saturday condemning the decision made in a case against Borussia Mönchengladbach under-23 team coach Heiko Vogel at the sports court of the West German soccer association (WDFV). Vogel was made to answer at the court following his comments to Vanessa Arlt and Nadine Westerhoff, who were officiating at a game involving his team on Jan. 30. The court on March 9 issued Vogel with a fine of 1,500 euros ($1,800), a ban for two league games, and ordered him to take charge of six training sessions of a women’s or girls’ team before June 30. “The question arises as to how the training of a women’s or girls’ team can be defined as punishment,” the players said in a joint statement that was shared on Instagram by Germany captain Alexandra Popp among others. “There is also no value in offering to compensate for such unsporting behaviour by offering to train a women’s team for a few hours.” The statement said the judgment “discriminates against all women in sport and especially in soccer.” The WDFV said in a statement on its website that it is also critical of the arrangement and that it has asked the court to review the decision. “There is no room for discrimination either in soccer or in society,” WDFV vice-president Gundolf Walaschewski said. “The WDFV and with it the soccer family in North Rhine-Westphalia are expressly committed to this. That means no tolerance for sexist discrimination and no tolerance for discrimination in general.” The German soccer federation (DFB) also backed the players’ call. “It’s incomprehensible for me that training a women’s team is given as a punishment,” DFB vice-president Hannelore Ratzeburg said. “I can therefore understand the players’ anger and why they make themselves heard in public. We have been in exchange with the WDFV for several days. The fact that the executive committee of the WDFV has clearly positioned itself and ordered a review of the judgment is a correct and necessary sign.” Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl had already criticized Vogel for his comments to the officials. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports ___ Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP CiaráN Fahey, The Associated Press
-
CBC
WestJet finalizes agreement with union that represents more than 3,100 cabin crew
Westjet says it has ratified its first collective agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents more than 3,100 cabin crew. CUPE has represented cabin crew at Calgary-based WestJet Airlines Ltd. since 2018 and has engaged the company in collective bargaining toward a union contract since April 2019. In a previous statement after the agreement was tentatively reached, CUPE Local 4070 president Chris Rauenbusch had characterized the news as a “monumental task” given COVID-19 travel restrictions and layoffs. “[This is] an unprecedented achievement at the height of trying times for our industry,” he said. A total of 1,663 of CUPE Local 4070’s members (66.8 per cent of those who voted) were in favour of the agreement, which is effective retroactive to March 1 and will remain in effect until the end of 2025. In a statement, Ed Sims, WestJet’s president and CEO, said he was pleased with the historic agreement. “The resulting agreement is a reflection of the interest-based bargaining required to achieve this positive outcome and it is a strong example of how we can work together, respectfully with dedication and professionalism, to benefit our employees and our guests during these challenging times,” he said in a release on Saturday. The union said some of the items, like per diem increases, will be retroactive to March 1, while others will be phased in as part of an implementation schedule that is outlined in the agreement. The agreement comes during a period of ongoing uncertainty for airlines and workers. In February, WestJet announced it would lay off 120 cabin crew members as of March 2, saying a lack of flights to Mexico and the Caribbean contributed to the move. It also said it would lay of an undisclosed number of pilots.
-
Local Journalism Initiative
Reviews mixed to online convnetions
Every year the Municipalities of Saskatchewan (formerly the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association or SUMA) holds a convention either in Regina or Saskatoon where municipal governments around the province meet to listen to keynote speakers, sit in on sessions touching on various topics, attend a tradeshow, and vote on resolutions. Given the current situation with the Covid-19 pandemic in Canada, the Municipalities of Saskatchewan convention and tradeshow couldn’t go forward this year in it’s regular in-person format. Instead—like many other events—the Municipalities of Saskatchewan pivoted to a virtual convention for 2021. The convention was held online this year, and the reviews from local municipal leaders are mixed. Although the social aspect of the event was removed because it was online, many of the municipal governments found the virtual convention went smoothly and still provided a lot of insight. Moosomin The virtual convention and tradeshow wasn’t ideal according to Moosomin Mayor Larry Tomlinson, but he’s glad the event went on in some capacity rather than having it cancelled. “It was alright, I watched quite a bit of it,” Tomlinson said. “It was certainly different—it’s not like being there, that’s for sure. I did touch base with some of the suppliers there through how it was set up online, but it’s not the same as being there and talking to them. Nothing really stood out. “I took part in a couple of seminars—one that I was in, that I really wanted to listen to, cutout on me part way through. They had some technical issues for awhile, especially during the start. It was better than having nothing though.” Esterhazy Other than a few technical hiccups, Esterhazy Mayor Grant Forster thought the virtual convention was a great alternative option and found it to be quite informative. “It was interesting,” said Forster. “I thought they did a very good job of trying to replicate the convention experience. The education sessions, the keynote speakers, and all those sorts of things are always something that I look forward to and they did a good job of still being able to have that for us. “To make it virtual obviously isn’t the same, but I think personally I was able to absorb more by sitting in my living room and watching it on my laptop without having all the distractions of a thousand people around me. From that standpoint, I think I learned a lot more. “Things like the tradsheow were difficult. You had to know specifically why you were going to stop in at a particular booth, in my case I felt that way. When you’re there and wandering around the tradeshow and something catches your eye and you think it’s interesting, we didn’t have that opportunity this year. The resolutions were conducted well, they had a little bit of technical difficulties with the voting, but they got through that and once they figured it out I thought everything went fairly well. “The experience wasn’t there, but I think the knowledge one would gain through the in-person sessions was still there in the virtual. “The knowledge is the important part, the experience and networking is great, but I go for the knowledge and I think that’s the way our whole council looks at it. We all go for the learning experience opposed to the social aspect of it.” Every year at the convention the municipalities vote on different resolutions, Forster said this year the only one of note was regarding a potential change to the structure of municipal elections. “There was only four (resolutions),” he said. “There was nothing that was really controversial. The one that took the most amount of time and debate was for implementing an election every two years for councils where half the council would be up for re-election every two years. There was a lot of discussion around that, but ultimately the resolution was defeated pretty handidly. There wasn’t a whole lot of support of it outside of the big cities, but I think it was of the greatest interest to most people.” Kipling Pat Jackson, mayor of Kipling, says the in-person experience is usually a great way for councils to build relationships and they missed that this year with the virtual event, but she said she’s glad her new councillors still had the opportunity to participate in some of the learning sessions at the convention. “I would be a liar if I said it was my favourite convention—it was my 17th,” Jackson said. “I think given the circumstances it was certainly far better than what some people thought we should do, which is have no convention. It was particularly important this year given it was following an election because there are so many new councillors. In some cases there are completely new councils—mayor and all the councillors—and in those cases, their learning curve is just about vertical. Having an opportunity for them to attend, even virtually, it gives them a chance to do a lot of learning. “The convention had many good education sessions—some on very specific topics and some are much more broad. One that was really well received by my new councillors was a, ‘things I’d wished I’d have known before I ran for council’ type of topic—it was sort of a government 101 session and it laid out very clearly what the rules and responsibilities are. They still had a tradeshow, I did manage to spend a bit of time at a couple of the places and went into their chatrooms to talk to them about their products. “It still gave us a chance to connect but it wasn’t the same. I’m of a very different generation than five of my councillors and normally I would have been looking forward to that connection time at the convention because we spend a lot of our time together so we want to make sure we have that connection and understanding of where each of us comes from. So the connections are something to look forward to next year.” None Rob Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
After all of that geoFence is your security solution to protect you and your business from foreign state actors and I am sure your family would say the same!
