Chennai: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Thursday claimed that efforts were being made to create a rift in its alliance with the BJP, but indicated the two parties were ideologically inclined beyond mere friendship. The party also claimed that “misinformation” was being spread about the Centre trying to “impose a three-language formula” in the country, a reference to the state opposition parties’ stand against the imposition of Hindi. “Though the AIADMK-BJP alliance for the Lok Sabha polls was an extension of (their) friendship, the two speak in one voice on primary intent like patriotism and worship of God,” AIADMK mouthpiece “Namathu Amma,” said. Also Read – Pak activated 20 terror camps & 20 launch pads along LoCThe write-up comes amidst reports of differences between the two alliance partners post the Lok Sabha drubbing where the combine could win just the Theni Parliamentary seat. The write-up in the party organ slammed efforts by a section of “family-owned media”, an apparent reference to those of the DMK, to “create rift between the leaf and flower.” While the AIADMK’s symbol is the Two Leaves, that of the BJP is a Lotus. The friendship between the high command of the two parties, beyond politics, was “unblemished”, it said. Also Read – Two squadrons which participated in Balakot airstrike awarded citationsThe AIADMK-BJP alliance winning the lone Theni Lok Sabha seat or the ruling party netting nine of the 22 Assembly seats where bypolls were held in April was a “public evaluation” of the combine, it added. This evaluation was being “accepted wholeheartedly” to take efforts to ensure a better performance for the alliance in the future, it said. It also alleged that “misinformation” was being carried out regarding the draft education policy of the Union HRD Ministry that the Centre was trying to impose a three-language formula in the country. “But people have started to see through their designs,” it said. The opposition in Tamil Nadu led by the DMK is up in arms against any “imposition” of Hindi in the state, an emotive issue that found great resonance with the citizens of the state in the 1960s, leading to the anti-Hindi agitation. DMK leader MK Stalin and other opposition leaders have claimed the Centre was trying to impose Hindi under the three-language formula.
Heat wave Summer holidays extended by a week for students upto Class
NEW DELHI: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday announced that summer holidays in Delhi schools would be extended till July 8 for for students up to class VIII, in view of the rising temperatures. The schools which were supposed to re-open from July 1 will now be functional from July 8. “Due to weather conditions prevailing in Delhi, summer holidays have been extended by a week for the students up to class eight. Schools for the children up to class eight will re-open on 8 July. The schools for the remaining classes will be open as per the old schedule,” he tweeted. Also Read – Bangla Sahib Gurudwara bans use of all types of plastic itemsThe decision from the Delhi government came after temperature reached as high as 48 degree Celsius a few weeks ago. This season, for more than two weeks, hot dry winds had swept the regions, compounding the woes of commuters. Earlier on Sunday, the India Meteorological Department stated in its All India Weather Warning Bulletin that the heat wave condition is likely to prevail over Delhi with minimum and maximum temperatures hovering around 32 degree Celsius and 43 degree Celsius, respectively. The relative humidity will be around 28 percent. With the temperature rising above 43 degree Celsius in Delhi, which is 8 degrees above the normal level, people have been experiencing extreme heat wave for the past one month. Also Read – After eight years, businessman arrested for kidnap & murderAs per weather experts, the national capital could see relief from the scorching heat from Monday. While wind flow starts moving towards the central and north India around June 29, this time it could be delayed by a day or two. By this estimate, monsoon arrival in the Delhi-NCR areas is expected around July 3, suggest experts, adding that the monsoon would first touch the NCR areas. This month on June 11 the mercury shattered all records, with parts of Delhi touching 48 degrees Celsius, an all-time high for a June day. The previous June high, 47.8 degrees Celsius, was recorded in 2014. This temperature, 8 notches above normal, was also the highest ever across all months since the city recorded 48.4 degrees Celsius in May 1998. The sweltering heat has sent Delhi’s power demand soaring past all-time high numbers triggering blackouts in certain areas. Power industry experts attribute nearly 50 percent of Delhi’s power demand during summer months to cooling load such as air conditioners, coolers and fans. Delhi’s water crisis has also left lakhs of people seething with anger this summer, even in the gated communities. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is supplying 900 MGD (million gallons a day) of water, against a peak demand of 1,200 MGD, resulting in a massive shortage.
CBI raids over 110 places registers 30 cases
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation, in an unprecedented move, mobilised over 500 agents to conduct searches at over 110 locations spread out across more than 19 states and union territories on Tuesday, officials here said. However, the raids were related to over 30 separate cases of corruption, criminal conspiracy, and arms license violations, which the probe agency registered recently. Officials added that while the cases range from disproportionate assets amassed by public servants to fraud committed by bank officials, some of the action by Also Read – How a psychopath killer hid behind the mask of a devout laity!agency sleuths was over important cases it had registered earlier. The arms licensing case, for instance, pertains to Jammu and Kashmir, where there were irregularities found in the way several arms licenses were being issued and renewed to residents of the area. The CBI raided 13 private gun houses in Srinagar, Udhampur, and Jammu in connection with the case, where several documents pertaining to the alleged violation of arms licensing were recovered. Also Read – Encounter under way in Pulwama, militant killedOfficials here said money transactions between gun dealers and licensees were also found Agency sleuths also recovered blank NOCs, purportedly issued by District Magistrates in addition to arms license issue registry allegedly of the office of the DM. Interestingly, agency sleuths also acted upon new information in connection with a case the CBI had registered against former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, earlier this year. Agency sleuths recovered 14 important documents from the searches, out of which sources said “one was crucial to the case”.
No construction allowed in 300metre zone of Sultanpur Bird sanctuary
Gurugram: In order to preserve the biological ecosystem at Sultanpur bird sanctuary, a framework will be again revised by the South Haryana forest division. Under this policy now, there will be no construction up to 300 metres of the bird sanctuary. There is also a provision of now having a high tension wire around 500 metres around the park. It has also been decided that at a distance of one to three kilometres there will be no commercial establishments that will be situated at the park. Also Read – Bangla Sahib Gurudwara bans use of all types of plastic itemsSet up in 1972 it is the only location in Haryana where a large number of foreign and domestic birds come and breed, the sanctuary was declared as a national park in 1991. Real estate development and rapid urbanisations have resulted either converted into the area for commercial usage. Has also had an adverse impact. Earlier as per the government guidelines, there were no constructions to be allowed in the range of five kilometres however now it has been reduced to 300 meters. What has made the matter worse is a large number of illegal colonies that have sprouted around the area. Also Read – After eight years, businessman arrested for kidnap & murderChallenges however galore for the bird sanctuary as the water levels in the bird park is receding at a fast pace. To increase the water levels there are now plans by the authorities to divert the water that goes to the Yamuna from the city towards Sultanpur. To gauge the amount of water flowing through the Yamuna, a survey by the Gurugram metropolitan development authority (GMDA) found that over six crore litres of sewage water flow daily from Gurugram to the river. Even as there are plans to build a sewage water treatment plant at Daultabad there is no clear deadline that when will this plant be operational. The low levels of water are resulting in less number of birds coming to the park.
Sharenting may put childs safety at risk
Sharenting – a parent’s habitual use of social media to share news and images about their children – puts the child’s online privacy and, potentially, safety at risk, warn researchers. The researchers found evidence that women’s feelings of vulnerability about being a mother are linked to their posting on social media. Those posts sometimes include their children’s personally identifiable information, such as names, birthdates, and photographs, showed the findings published online in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. The women who participated in the research articulated a variety of risk factors for vulnerability – a changing body, a changing view of self, new responsibilities associated with motherhood, demands of nursing, exhaustion, and issues such as postpartum depression or anxiety. The researchers suggest the need for enhanced governmental guidance to protect children’s online privacy from commercial entities.
KVIC distributes leather kits in Rajasthan
On World Tribal Day, it was dream come true for the tribal-dominated village in Sirohi district of Rajasthan – one of the aspirational districts in India identified by the NITI Aayog – when Khadi and Village Industry Commission (KVIC) distributed as many as 50 leather kits and 350 Bee-Boxes with live bee colonies on August 9.KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena, who was the chief guest of the function, said that the programmes like Leather Mission, Kumhar Sashaktikaran Mission and Honey Mission are the reflection of KVIC’s commitment to uplift the lives of marginalised communities in the society. “It is a matter of pleasure and prides that after getting encouraging success in our programmes like Honey Mission and Kumhar Sashaktikaran Mission, we are launching our new programme ‘Leather Mission’ on World Tribal Day from the tribal-dominated village of Chandala,” he said, adding, “Under this new programme, the KVIC will give leather kits to the leather artisans across the nation. It will not only increase their incomes in manifold, but will also inspire the traditional leather artisans to adopt this vocation again – who had migrated to other jobs from their traditional skill.” Also Read – An income drop can harm brainSaxena, who also distributed 350 Bee-Boxes at the function, further said that Honey Mission is being proved as a game-changer in the lives of tribals, farmers, SC/STs and unemployed youths. “So far, we have distributed over 1.15 lakh Bee-Boxes across the nation among the marginalised community, which has provided jobs to over 11,500 people. Not only it has increased the income of the Bee-keeping farmers, but has also increased the yield of the crops by up to 30 percent due to cross-pollination of the honey-bees,” he stated.
Congress MLA Abdul Sattar joins Shiv Sena
Mumbai: Two-term Congress MLA and former Maharashtra minister Abdul Sattar joined the Shiv Sena on Monday. Sattar, who represents Sillod Assembly seat in Aurangabad district, joined the Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence here. He resigned as Congress MLA before the general elections held earlier this year and helped the then BJP state president Raosaheb Danve, who won from Jalna Lok Sabha constituency, which covers the Sillod Assembly segment. Also Read – Uddhav bats for ‘Sena CM’Sattar headed the animal husbandry department in the previous Congress-NCP coalition government. After inducting Sattar into the Sena, Thackeray hinted that he may get the party ticket for the upcoming state Assembly polls. “I would like to see the Sena win from Sillod Assembly constituency. It is an important seat for us,” the Sena chief told reporters here. Several leaders from the opposition Congress and NCP have joined either the BJP or the Sena in the recent weeks.
NS sends teen suicide expert to Cape Breton promises new cyberbulling law
HALIFAX – As a Cape Breton school board grapples with multiple teen suicides, the Nova Scotia government is sending a youth mental health expert to the grief-stricken community and promising new anti-cyberbullying legislation this fall.Dr. Stan Kutcher, a Dalhousie University psychiatry professor, will travel to Cape Breton Monday to talk to families, schools, and the community about mental health concerns and what supports they need.He is expected to report back to the province in the coming weeks.The parents of a 13-year-old girl who took her own life on Father’s Day said bullying led to her death, and more needs to be done to protect other young people. They said their daughter, Madison Wilson, was subject to verbal abuse at school and through social media.Premier Stephen McNeil said the province needs to have a broader conversation about bullying, especially online attacks.“I can’t imagine how some of these young kids who are exposed to that are feeling,” he said Thursday. “We need to have a public conversation about what’s happening online. Our children can’t get away from it.”McNeil said he hopes the province will engage the public in a broader conversation when it rolls out its updated anti-cyberbullying legislation.Nova Scotia’s Cyber-Safety Act, the first law of its kind in Canada designed to protect victims of online harassment, was struck down in late 2015 after the province’s top court ruled that it infringed on Charter rights.The law was passed in response to the death of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old girl who was bullied and died after a suicide attempt.Justice Minister Mark Furey said Thursday the recent suicides in Cape Breton, with at least one tied to cyberbullying, underscore the importance of the new legislation.“We’re positioned now to introduce legislation this fall,” he said.Furey said he hopes Kutcher, an expert on adolescent mental health, will be able to inform the province on what steps can be taken to support the community.“Dr. Kutcher is a recognized mental health expert so his presence and participation in the discussion in Cape Breton will help the families, the school and the community deal with these tragic circumstances,” he said.Darren Googoo, chairman of the Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board, said this week the board is drafting a letter to the provincial Education Department with the idea of starting a dialogue on the issue.“Our students are dealing with the trauma associated with the loss of a schoolmate and, going into the summer months, we want to make sure that we have a more co-ordinated approach with our provincial partners in health, in terms of providing services,” Googoo said.Education Minister Zach Churchill said the province needs to “work together” to better understand the factors that contribute to teen suicides.“We do have a collective responsibility to better understand these things, to learn from them and do our very best to improve the supports available,” he said. “We need to have an honest, open and frank conversation.”However, it’s unclear whether additional resources, such as guidance counsellors or psychologists, will be made available.In fact, Health Minister Randy Delorey said the province put additional resources in place for schools but it’s up to the board to decide “where exactly the resources are being allocated.”He said questions about “how they’re choosing to spend their resources” are better directed to the school board.However, he did admit that mental health is an area of priority for the province that requires more attention.
Canadian man sentenced to 20 years in prison for 130M drug ring
A Canadian man has been sentenced to 20 years in a U.S. federal prison for his role in a smuggling operation that sent more than $130 million worth of drugs between the United States and Canada.Prosecutors had argued that Harinder Dhaliwal of Brampton, Ont., should spend 30 years behind bars for his role in the drug trafficking ring, while defence lawyers had argued for a lighter sentence.Judge William Skretny of Buffalo, N.Y., handed the decision down on Wednesday, but did not elaborate on his reasoning.Dhaliwal, who was arrested in Canada in 2014, was among a group of at least six other people indicted on charges related to distribution and exportation of large amounts of cocaine and marijuana between 2006 and 2011.He was held in Canadian custody for nearly two years before being extradited to the U.S. to face charges in April 2016.Weeks later, court documents show that Dhaliwal pleaded guilty to one of the eight charges against him, namely conspiracy to export at least five kilograms of cocaine from the U.S.“As part of his plea agreement, the defendant admitted that during the course of the charged conspiracy, he was responsible for the transportation, exportation and distribution of more than 3,000 kilograms of cocaine … and the importation of tens of thousands of ecstasy pills and hundreds of pounds of marijuana,” prosecutors said in their pre-sentencing report.Court documents said Dhaliwal owned trucking companies that he used to ferry drugs over the border concealed in hidden compartments that he built along with another co-conspirator.A pre-sentencing report prepared by his defence team said he was lured into the easy money of drug trafficking because of financial hardships associated with failed business ventures.The defence team, in arguing for a sentence that was “sufficient but not greater than necessary,” said he had been living in Canada for many years with his wife and two children at the time of his arrest.Defence lawyers argued that Dhaliwal’s co-operation with authorities, poor health and remorse for his actions would justify a lighter sentence.“Mr. Dhaliwal is extremely remorseful that he placed his needs for ‘quick money’ over the needs of society,” reads a pre-sentencing report from the defence team. “Mr. Dhaliwal accepts responsibility for his choices and his conduct. Mr. Dhaliwal acknowledges and appreciates the wrongfulness of his actions and offers no excuses or rational (sic) for his conduct.”Defence lawyers asked the court to consider allowing Dhaliwal to serve his sentence in Canada, a request Skretny denied.Dhaliwal was sentenced to 20 years in U.S. custody and five years of supervised release, though Skretny’s decision did say he is to be recommended for the Canadian Transfer Treaty Program.
ExMulroney spokesman back on Quebec TV after joke about hunting separatists
MONTREAL – The former spokesman for Brian Mulroney who was suspended from a TV show after joking on air about hunting Quebec separatists returned to his job Thursday.Luc Lavoie rejoined the other pundits on a daily politics show about a week after being yanked.His joke triggered a complaint to police, who concluded after a short investigation Lavoie didn’t commit any crime.Lavoie made the crack on Quebecor-owned TVA while discussing petitions tabled in the provincial legislature that were for and against the legalization of squirrel hunting.“We could take our guns like Americans, and shoot at squirrels … actually, I would have liked to be able to hunt the separatists, but it looks like it’s not possible,” he said with a chuckle on the television show “La Joute.”His comments were roundly derided, with Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee among the critics.Quebecor spokeswoman Veronique Mercier said Lavoie returned to the show after meeting with company management.Besides acting as a spokesman for Mulroney, Lavoie has previously held senior positions with Quebecor.
Nova Scotia passes Tory bill proclaiming pregnancy and infant loss awareness day
HALIFAX – A private member’s bill proclaiming Oct. 15 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day has been unanimously passed by the Nova Scotia legislature.The legislation was tabled this week by Tim Houston, the Progressive Conservative member for Pictou East.A similar bill was passed unanimously in Ontario in late 2015, proclaiming Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day on Oct. 15 and promising better resources, support and research on the issue.The Tory bill has received widespread support across Nova Scotia, including 28 municipalities that have agreed to proclaim the day.Houston says with the extra awareness and attention as part of the bill, the province can begin to provide women and families with the support and compassion they need “at such a difficult time.”
A list of ammonia leaks at arenas in Canada
Three people have died in Fernie, B.C., after a possible ammonia leak at an arena in the community. Here is a list of ammonia leaks at other Canadian arenas:April 2017: Three employees of an arena in Pownal, P.E.I. were sent to hospital after a leak caused by a faulty valve. No one was seriously hurt.January 2016: A leak in the ice-cooling system prompted the evacuation of the Jean-Paul Sabourin Arena in Gatineau, Que. No one was injured.September 2011: Two people were sent to hospital after a leak at what was then called the Scotiabank Place arena in Ottawa. The building was evacuated and no one sustained lasting injuries.May 2010: A leak at an arena in Fenelon Falls, Ont., forced an evacuation of the surrounding neighbourhood. About 20 homes were evacuated for a few hours, but no one was injured.February 2010: A leak at the Kings Arrow arena in Oromocto, N.B., sent three employees to hospital, but all were released unharmedJuly 1999: Officials evacuated the arena at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. About 100 children taking summer programs at the university had to leave the building. No injuries were reported.August 1997: Officials blamed vandals for damaging a valve at an arena in Saint John, N.B. The resulting leak forced police to evacuate the area, including about 50 residents from a nearby seniors home. One rink employee received minor injuries.June 1996: An ammonia leak at an arena next to Edmonton’s South Side Recreation Centre prompted an evacuation of the building. About 31 people were sent to hospital.November 1995: A school outing took a dangerous turn when a valve on an ice cooling system came loose at a Toronto arena. An employee sustained second-degree burns and dozens of children from a local school were sent to hospital as a precaution. None of the students were injured.June 1991: Ammonia leaking at an arena in Grand Prairie, Alta., forced the evacuation of about 325 people. This included students from local high schools in the middle of writing year-end exams. Officials said the leak was caused by maintenance workers who accidentally ruptured a cooling line.
Quebec arts patron Jacqueline Desmarais dead at 89
MONTREAL – Jacqueline Desmarais, a longtime supporter of Quebec’s arts scene and the widow of billionaire Paul Desmarais, has died at the age of 89.Her family announced her death in statement today.The Sudbury, Ont., native was one of the greatest supporters of Quebec’s cultural scene, particularly classical music and opera.She was named an officer of the Order of Canada and has received the Order of Quebec and France’s National Order of the Legion of Honour for her philanthropy.Her husband, a business tycoon, died in 2013.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his condolences and praised Desmarais’ contribution to the arts.“Jacqueline Desmarais’ philanthropy and deep commitment to the arts were a lifelong gift to us all,” the tweet read.“Her legacy is immense. Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to her family & friends on her passing.”
Saskatoon committee proposes pond safety recommendations after 5yearolds death
SASKATOON – A Saskatoon city committee studying pond safety following a five-year-old boy’s death is proposing a fence be built to separate a nearby school from the park.Kindergarten student Ahmedsadiq Elmmi was found in the pond near Ecole Dundonald School after recess ended one morning last September.The boy was pronounced dead in hospital.The committee suggests a wrought-iron fence just over a metre high be built on the school side of the park pathway.Other ideas include educating students on storm pond safety and revising signs for increased clarity — particularly for younger children and people with language barriers.The recommendations still need approval from city council.The boy also attended a nearby daycare, where staff said he was autistic and needed close supervision.An imam who was called to the school after Ahmedsadiq died said the Muslim boy’s attendant had told him the tragedy happened in seconds.The pond is about 120 metres from the school property line. It was built four years before the school in 1983 to catch storm water and was converted to a pond in 2005.Bronwyn Eyre, who was Saskatchewan’s education minister when the boy died, said at the time that school divisions should review safety measures at schools that are close to ponds.(CKOM, The Canadian Press)
Possible hepatitis A contamination in some strawberry products in Quebec
MONTREAL – The Quebec Agriculture Department is warning consumers to avoid various strawberry products that may have been contaminated with the hepatitis A virus.The juice, smoothies and cocktails were offered for sale in Adonis stores until April 13.They were prepared with “Montana” frozen raw strawberries from Egypt.The department says cases of illness associated with consumption of the products have been reported.Infection with the hepatitis A virus usually manifests as fever, general malaise, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and abdominal dioscomfort.The infection can also cause jaundice, dark urine and pale stools. Symptoms can appear up to 50 days after eating contaminated food.
Feds set new standards for trucks buses to cut tailpipe emissions
OTTAWA – Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says transport trucks and school buses built after 2020 will have to be more efficient and produce fewer greenhouse gases.New regulations announced today require improved technology to make engines more efficient and trailers hauled by heavy trucks easier to pull, all with an aim of reducing fuel-consumption and cutting tailpipe emissions by about 25 per cent per vehicle.McKenna says the new emissions regulations for heavy transportation vehicles are expected to cut tailpipe emissions about six million tonnes a year by 2030.The regulations will cost the industry more than $6 billion to pay for the new technology but McKenna says it will save $1.7 billion a year from reduced fuel consumption by the time the regulations are fully implemented.Heavy-duty vehicles such as transport trucks, school buses, garbage trucks, delivery vans and even some of the largest pick-up trucks, account for almost one-tenth of Canada’s total greenhouse gas production each year.Six million tonnes is but a small fraction of the nearly 200 million tonnes of emissions Canada must eliminate if it is to meet its commitment under the Paris climate change accord to get its annual emissions down to 30 per cent below where they were in 2005 by 2030.
In the news today Dec 18
Six stories in the news for Tuesday, Dec. 18———FEDS TO ANNOUNCE $1.6B BOOST FOR OIL PRODUCERS Canada’s battered energy industry will get a $1.6-billion boost from Ottawa today to try to slow the political and economic bleeding. Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi and International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr will be at an Edmonton college campus to unveil a support package for oil and gas companies, which are reeling from record-low oil prices. The funds will be divided among several different programs, including money to help companies invest in clean growth, loans, and other financial supports to help companies find new markets away from the United States, as well as investments in training and new technology.———CANADA RANKS 16TH ON ANNUAL GENDER GAP LISTCanada has landed the 16th spot in the World Economic Forum’s annual gender gap ranking. This is the second year Canada has placed 16th in the international organization’s list, which measures economic, educational, health and political disparities experienced between men and women in more than 100 countries around the world. Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland took the top spots, but Canada ranked above Latvia, Bulgaria, South Africa, Switzerland and dozens of other countries.———STRICTER DRUNK DRIVING LAWS TAKE EFFECT TODAYAs of today, Canadians will find it harder to get away with impaired driving. New rules that increase penalties and expand police powers to demand breath samples take effect across Canada. Legislation, which passed in June at the same time as new rules for drug-impaired driving, is intended to curb injuries and death by helping police catch drivers with more than the legal limit of alcohol in their bloodstreams. It gives police officers the right to ask for a breath sample from any driver they lawfully stop, lowering the bar from the previous legislation, which required that an officer have reasonable suspicion that a person had been drinking. ———ANOTHER PIPELINE LAWSUIT BEING READIEDA Vancouver-based environment charity is readying itself to go back to court if — or they believe when — the federal government re-approves the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion next year. The Wilderness Committee returned $25,000 in participant funding to the National Energy Board last month citing the short timeline for the board’s new review on the marine impacts of the proposed expansion. Peter McCartney, climate campaigner for the committee, says the timelines are so short it underscores his belief the government is doing this just to fulfil the Federal Court of Appeal’s concerns with the original review, rather than to seriously reconsider the approval given to the project.———SENTENCING DECISION EXPECTED IN MILLARD TRIALA judge is set to deliver her sentencing decision today for a Toronto man found guilty of killing his father. In September, Justice Maureen Forestell found Dellen Millard guilty of the first-degree murder of Wayne Millard, whose death was initially ruled a suicide. It was the third such conviction for Dellen Millard, who was previously convicted for murdering his former lover Laura Babcock and Hamilton man Tim Bosma, a complete stranger.———SPIRIT OF SANTA STAND-IN INSPIRES TOY DRIVEHundreds of toys and gifts are being handed out to children this year in memory of Winnipeg’s most well-known Santa stand-in. Brian Sanderson wore a bright-red suit and grew out his white beard to play Santa in malls, seniors centres and movies for the last 26 years. After his death at age 77 in October, his friends and family stepped up to make sure his Christmas spirit would continue. Mrs. Claus and Sanderson’s real-life partner Lillian Harris says he wanted to make sure every child felt the magic of Christmas.———ALSO IN THE NEWS:— Case of truck driver Jaskirat Sidhu, charged with dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily injury in a fatal crash involving the Humboldt Broncos team bus, will be in court today.— Kathy Dunderdale, a former premier of Newfoundland and Labrador who sanctioned the Muskrat Falls hydro project, is scheduled to testify today at an inquiry looking into the controversial project.— Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart will release a report on his emergency overdose taskforce and will outline quick-start recommendations to prevent overdoses and save lives.— Statistics Canada will release its monthly survey of manufacturing for October today.The Canadian Press
Provinces feeling left out of child welfare reform Saskatchewan minister
The Canadian Press SASKATOON — Saskatchewan’s Minister of Social Services says he and his provincial and territorial counterparts are feeling left out of Ottawa’s plan to reform child welfare.Paul Merriman and other social services ministers met in Saskatoon this week to discuss Bill C-92, legislation aimed at reducing the over-representation of Indigenous children in foster care.Merriman says it’s concerning they were unable to speak directly with federal Minister of Indigenous Services Seamus O’Regan without representatives from national Indigenous organizations in the room.Merriman says he is concerned about the implementation of the legislation, as well as its timing and what funding will be attached.He believes there are many unknowns, such as what will happen to the province’s existing agreements with First Nations that are delivering child and family services.Merriman says when it comes to the bill, Ottawa is focusing on what’s gone wrong with provincial child welfare, like the Sixties Scoop, and not factoring in improvements made since.The Federation of Soverign Indigenous Nations has called Saskatchewan’s child care situation a crisis.
Remains of BC soldier identified in France more than a century after
OTTAWA — The remains of a Canadian soldier who was only 18 when he was killed in the First World War have been identified in France, more than 100 years after his death.The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces say the remains were discovered in July 2017 near the village of Vendin-le-Vieil and were identified earlier this year as those of Pte. George Alfred Newburn.He enlisted in Esquimalt at the age of 16 and died barely two years later on Aug. 15, 1917, during the first day of the Battle of Hill 70, a diversionary offensive aimed at distracting German reinforcements away from the Passchendaele battlefield.In a statement, National Defence says Newburn was born in England but moved with his family to B.C.He was assigned to the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force just three days before the battle.The department says members of Newburn’s family have been notified and he will be will be buried June 12 in France by his regiment, which is now known as the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own), based in Vancouver.The ceremony will take place at the Loos British Cemetery outside Loos-en-Gohelle.More than 9,000 Canadian soldiers died in the Battle of Hill 70.Defence Minister Harjit Sajan says honouring the service of fallen members is a dearly held value of the Canadian Armed Forces.“In June, we’ll pay tribute to Pte. George Alfred Newburn as we will lay him to rest in the place he helped to liberate. Let us never forget the courage of our Canadian battalions during the Battle of Hill 70, and forever honour their service,” Sajan says in the statement. The Canadian Press
Ashley Tisdale Launches Project Pink PSA
In July, PUMA launched their Project Pink program and announced this year’s spokesperson, Ashley Tisdale. Today, the PSA starring Ashley Tisdale launched on the Web.Video: PUMA Project Pink featuring Ashley TisdaleAshley’s grandmother, a Breast Cancer survivor, attended the shoot and appears in the PSA with her. You can see Ashley tweeting #projectpink with her grandmother, interacting with young soccer players who are involved in the Project Pink program, and also pinning a message for her grandmother to the Project Pink bulletin board.PUMA’s Project Pink is an initiative which raises money for Breast Cancer. Money is raised through the sale of Project Pink gear (Ashley is wearing a tshirt in the PSA from the collection), as well as from people tweeting #projectpink. Anyone is free to nominate a Breast Cancer charity (small or large) to receive the money, and people are encouraged to vote for the charity which will win the funds raised through the program.Find out more here.