Admins
Whitecourt businesses serve hot meals with a side of gratitude for wildfire crews
‘We all have to stand together and do what we can to help our neighbours’ Escalating wildfire danger led to the postponement of an awards banquet in Whitecourt two weeks ago — but organizers didn’t call off the four-course meal. Instead, forestry company West Fraser, which operates the local Blue Ridge Lumber and Ranger Board mills, delivered the food to wildfire emergency responders from nearby Lac Ste. Anne County and Yellowhead County. Crew members each got a serving of roast beef and chicken cordon bleu, salads, vegetables, mashed potatoes andRead more
They strapped an odometer to a bike wheel and wrote one of Canada’s most iconic hiking guides
Canadian Rockies Trail Guide has been in publication more than 50 years When hikers head out to the mountains this long weekend, some will choose their route by word of mouth, others will use a trail app — but plenty will reach for a well-worn copy of the Canadian Rockies Trail Guide. The guide, affectionately known as “the Bible” to some outdoor enthusiasts, has been on the bookshelves and in the glove compartments of Alberta hikers for more than 50 years. It’s thought to be the first comprehensive hiking guide toRead more
Sask. parents feel defeated after province’s only pediatric gastroenterologist leaves
1 parent spent more than 40K for out-of-country treatment due to wait-list even before specialist left Saskatchewan’s only pediatric gastroenterologist left the province last week, leaving parents uncertain about how they will navigate their children’s complex gastrointestinal (GI) issues. “It’s heartbreaking to see your child in pain and nowhere to turn,” said Dean Fleck, whose 13-year-old son Mason requires monthly infusions for Crohn’s disease. Fleck said he feels overwhelmed and worries about the lack of ongoing care and oversight for his son. The family has been traveling from Regina to Saskatoon every fourRead more
Alberta closes 12 provincial parks due to increased risk of wildfires over long weekend
Fire bans are in place for more than 280 provincial parks and recreation areas The Alberta government has closed 12 provincial parks and recreation areas ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend to lower the risk of more wildfires starting and spreading. “The fire danger is expected to be extreme across the northern parts of the province again [Thursday], which could result in some active wildfire behaviour,” Christie Tucker, information unit manager with Alberta Wildfire, said Thursday. “We will manage the wildfire situation in the face of extreme conditions and weRead more
Naujaat becomes 3rd Nunavut community to face tuberculosis outbreak
There are 6 active cases and 10 latent cases in the community, says health department Nunavut’s Health Department declared an outbreak of tuberculosis in Naujaat on Tuesday because of a recent increase in the number of active cases. Naujaat is now one of three communities in Nunavut facing a tuberculosis outbreak. A public health advisory from the territory says there are six active cases and 10 latent cases in the community of about 1,000. The difference between the two is that active tuberculosis is contagious, and latent tuberculosis isn’t — but needsRead more
Federal government proposes stricter bail system in new bill
Proposed law would make it harder for those accused of certain crimes to get released on bail The federal government is proposing changes to the country’s bail system that would make it harder for those accused of certain offences to be released on bail. Bill C-48 would amend the Criminal Code so that those charged with a serious violent offence involving a weapon — one with a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment — who were convicted of a similar offence within the last five years will face a reverse onus to get bail. “Reverse onus” means the accused wouldRead more
Four federal byelections will be held on June 19
Seats left vacant by three retirements, death of Jim Carr Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Sunday that four byelections will take place on June 19 to elect new MPs in ridings that are currently vacant. The byelections will be held to replace three MPs who have chosen to leave federal politics, including former Liberal cabinet minister Marc Garneau (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount, in Quebec), Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie (Oxford, in Ontario) and former Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen (Portage–Lisgar, in Manitoba). A race will also be held to fill a Manitoba seat left vacant by the death ofRead more
Heat wave challenges firefighters in B.C. as new wildfires prompt evacuations
More than 100 homes on evacuation order due to Stoddart Creek fire in northeastern B.C. Northeastern B.C. continues to see large wildfires burn out of control, as unusually hot weather challenges firefighters. Dozens of people remained out of their homes Sunday in areas around Fort St. John, B.C., due to evacuation orders and alerts associated with the Red Creek fire, which has now been burning for more than a week. A newly-discovered blaze called the Stoddart Creek fire, just north of Red Creek, has prompted a door-to-door evacuation operation due to the safety risks associated with that fire, while otherRead more
Fears of more floods and fires in B.C. Interior as forecast shows temperatures topping 30 C
Heat building into weekend; smoky skies expected for swath of province over next 48 hours A spell of unseasonably warm weather forecast for most of British Columbia is raising concerns for further flooding and wildfires. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says the heat, which is expected to push past 30 C by the weekend in many areas, will affect the pace of snowmelt — which has already sent river levels over their banks in several parts of central and southeastern B.C. Dave Campbell with the B.C. River Forecast Centre told a briefing on Monday that above-seasonalRead more
Toronto gynecologist given 4-month suspension for dishonourable conduct
Regulator rules doctor engaged in disgraceful or unprofessional conduct in his care of 10 patients A gynecologist at the centre of a years-long CBC investigation had his medical licence suspended for four months following a regulatory hearing in early March. Dr. David Gerber, of Meridia Medical in midtown Toronto, pleaded no contest to allegations from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) that he engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct in his care and treatment of 10 patients over the course of more than a decade. “We are deeply disturbedRead more