January, 2024
Nearly all victims died within minutes of attack, James Smith massacre inquest hears
Faster emergency response would not have saved any lives, pathologists say A faster emergency response would not have saved any of the 11 victims in the 2022 stabbing massacre at James Smith Cree Nation and village of Weldon, an inquest heard Friday. Pathologist Dr. Shaun Ladham shared the results of the autopsies of five of the victims Friday. Another pathologist did the same for the other six victims Thursday. They said nearly all victims likely died within 10 minutes of being attacked on Sept. 4, 2022, and some may have died withinRead more
Homeless Saint John man loses part of leg, foot to frostbite
‘How much more suffering do we have to witness?’ advocate asks Less than three weeks after a homeless Saint John man lost his life in a tent fire, another is in hospital after losing his left leg below the knee and half of his right foot to severe frostbite. Jamie Langille, 43, who has lived in a tent in a wooded area uptown for about three years, said he fell asleep one night with wet feet. “I usually light a fire at nighttime,” he said, explaining he burns candles and hand sanitizer in a bucketRead more
Cost to taxpayers of protecting members of Parliament hits a record high
Experts say threats to MPs have escalated since pandemic, convoy protest The cost of keeping Canada’s members of Parliament safe has hit a record high, CBC News has learned. During the first nine months of this fiscal year, the RCMP spent $2.5 million on security for MPs. If spending continues at the same pace, the cost of MPs’ security for this fiscal year could hit $3.4 million — almost double what it cost a year earlier. Over fiscal 2022/23, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) spent $1.8 million to protect MPs,Read more
Nishnawbe Aski Nation holds emergency meeting in Ottawa amid surge in sudden deaths on First Nations
First Nations chiefs from Ontario, federal officials at meeting after string of suicides, unexplained deaths Leadership with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) held an emergency meeting with federal officials after a string of recent youth suicides and unexplained deaths in First Nations across northwestern Ontario. On Wednesday in Ottawa, the meeting to discuss the crisis and look at solutions included members of NAN’s executive committee, chiefs from northern Ontario and health experts, and Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu. Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Grand Chief Cindy Woodhouse and Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare were there as well.Read more
Linking immigration to the housing shortage may be missing the problem, experts say
Canada now has more than 2.5M non-permanent residents, a number experts say is driving up rents With rising rents and house prices making it increasingly hard to find an affordable place to live, some are pointing the finger at Canada’s record-level immigration rates. Immigration is not the only thing putting a strain on the housing market. High interest rates, increasing building costs and red tape at the municipal level that can slow down or halt home construction are all part of the picture. But to tackle the pressure being created by immigration,Read more
Life can change overnight. 2 families share what people should know about power of attorney
Mary Jarratt was thrown into action as power of attorney when her brother had a life-changing stroke attorney in the event something should happen to him, she thought little of it. Billy’s wife had just died, so while updating his will, he also needed to designate someone new to make medical and financial decisions for him should he no longer be able to do so himself. “Billy was the last person that you’d ever would have thought would become disabled,” Mary told Dr. Brian Goldman, host of CBC Radio’s White Coat,Read more
Adults who don’t know they have ADHD can struggle. Here’s how a diagnosis can help
If left undiagnosed, adult ADHD can reduce overall quality of life, psychiatrist says Edmonton resident Nikki Houde was 41 when she was formally diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In November 2021, the middle school success coach was working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, often finding her concentration drifting during video meetings, regularly avoiding tasks and making up distractions to get out of completing her work. “I was just creating things so I didn’t have to do things that I didn’t want to do,” she said After speaking with aRead more
Vancouver’s attitude towards snow hasn’t changed in over 100 years, says historian
City helped shaped Vancouver’s image after its incorporation as a place with mild winters to draw visitors Snow seems to bring out the worst in Vancouver, with stalled buses, spun out cars, and a city paralyzed by a few centimetres blanketing the ground. It’s a phenomenon historian Blake Butler calls “the evergreen mentality,” or Vancouver’s lack of preparedness and denial of annual snowfall events. “It’s the idea that Vancouver is a place devoid of snow, when in fact it’s part of the coast’s climate, albeit not as much as the rest ofRead more
N.B. man ‘happy to be alive’ after nearly being impaled in driving accident
Pickup truck pierced by bridge piece in crash on remote logging road After a long night shift on Jan.10, Michael Roy hopped into his pickup truck with a co-worker and started the long drive home. The ride could have been his last. Roy, 32, often took a rural logging road for the 100-kilometre drive from the job site in Plaster Rock to his home in Saint-Quentin. Snow was heavy through the desolate woodland trail known locally as the West Tobique Wood Road. “We didn’t see much and we didn’t go fast,”Read more
Retired RCMP officer tearfully apologizes to daughter of James Smith Cree Nation victim at inquest
Vanessa Burns, former partner of killer Myles Sanderson, expected to testify Thursday afternoon The coroner’s inquest into the stabbing massacre that occurred at James Smith Cree Nation included an emotional exchange Thursday morning when a retired RCMP officer apologized to the daughter of one of the victims. “I am the daughter of Earl Burns,” Deborah Burns told retired Staff Sgt. Darren Lee Simons, after he answered her questions about how he responded to the violent attacks. Earl Burns was one of the 11 people killed by community member Myles SandersonRead more