APTN National NewsThe legacy of residential schools continues to impact thousands of Aboriginal men and women across the country.The over-incarceration of Metis, Inuit and First Nations women in Canada’s prison is another result of the residential school-era.The Native Women’s Association of Canada is calling for an end to the overwhelming statistics.APTN National News reporter Annette Francis has this story.
APTN National NewsManitoba Child and Family Services continues to come under fire.The latest revelations show that teens are sometimes placed in hotels and the province paid private firms more than $13 million in 2012 and 2013 to look after children in the care.APTN’s Dennis Ward has this story.
RCMP said Ottenbreit’s remains were found alongside Browers east of Leduc in a wooded area along Range Road 241 near Rolley View road.Browers was 33 when she was last seen hitchhiking a ride in May of 2000.Previously Edna Bernard, 28, was found in 2002 in a wooded area on Range Road 245 just north of Rolley View road.Katie Ballentyne, 40, was found in 2003 in a farmer’s field near Range Road 235, north of Township Road 500.Amber Tuccaro, 20, was found in 2012 in a wooden area east of Leduc near Range Road 241 and Highway 623.All of the cases remain unsolved.See related story here: Police probe possibility lone killer is dumping bodies outside small Alberta townNow, RCMP is investigating the possibility of a lone killer using the area as a dumping ground for his or her victims.April Wiberg of the Stolen Sisters and Brothers Awareness Movement has long held the view that a single perpetrator is on a murdering spree.“We would like to express there has been suspicion for quite some time now that a serial killer could be responsible for the multiple discoveries of women’s remains in Leduc County. This is no coincidence,” said Wiberg. “We believe this predator preys on our communities most vulnerable people, and his hunting grounds are areas such as Edmonton, Leduc and Nisku.”She went on to question how many other victims may still be out there and is urging authorities to take serious the situation.“The EPS and Leduc RCMP Detachment should release an immediate public safety announcement for these communities. For anyone who has any information that could help identify a person of interest or lead to the arrest of a suspect, please, for the victims and their heart broken families, have the courage to come forward,” said Wiberg.The Stolen Sisters and Brothers Awareness Movement will be organizing a justice rally and walk in Leduc in August.Police are asking anyone who may have may have information related to the disappearance or death of Corrie Ottenbreit, and others, or who may have seen her after May 9, 2004, to please call 1-877-412-KARE (5273) or theEdmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567.Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers toll free, at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).bmorin@aptn.ca (Photo of 27 year old Corrie Ottenbreit handed out by RCMP. Her body was discovered near Leduc, Alberta in April.)Brandi MorinAPTN National NewsEDMONTON — RCMP announced Tuesday that a woman’s remains found earlier this year outside Leduc, Alta., have been identified as 27 year old Corrie Ottenbreit.Her body was found in April near where the remains of Delores Browers were found at the same time.The RCMP considers Ottenbreit’s death to be a homicide and investigators are seeking the public’s assistance in determining what happened to her.The RCMP Historical Homicide Unit has assumed control of the investigation, in conjunction with Project KARE.“This is a very difficult time for the Ottenbreit family and our thoughts are with them today,” said Inspector Stacey Talbot of the Alberta RCMP Serious Crimes Branch. “Sadly, they now know where Corrie is and now we need the public’s help in finding out what happened to her. We hope that someone out there can help us.”There have been four Indigenous women (Ottenbreit was Caucasian), whose remains have been found in the same area since 2002.All of the women, except for one, Amber Tuccaro, worked in the sex trade in Edmonton.
APTN National NewsIt was launched during International Women’s Week and this series of monologues by a group of Winnipeg women performers is carrying a message that they hope will be heard for a long time.APTN’s April Johnson has this story.
APTN National NewsTodd LamirandeAssembly of First Nations Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day called the tax bill handed to victims of OI Leasing, some who now owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, sickening.“It SICKENS ME (sic) to watch every person under the pain, agony; suffering of the shameful assault of financial violence from CRA (Canada Revenue Agency),” Day wrote in a status update posted to Facebook.“They don’t see any end,” Day told APTN News Monday. “That they’ll continue to pay interest charges that the fees just keep mounting and there just seems to be a ruthless effort by CRA just to gut our people out of the money they rightfully believe is there’s.”One of those people is Doreen Hill. She was an OI Leasing employee since the mid-90s.In December 2015, she received a letter from CRA saying she owed over $273,000 in tax arrears.“In April 2016 I arranged to make payments in good faith to CRA,” she said, although she believes as a status Indian she has a right to being exempt for paying income tax.However, a letter from CRA dated October 26, 2016 was a slap in the face.Not only did it state she was now in arrears for over $282,000, a lien had been put on her property “to secure the amount you owe us.”Hill said it has affected her relationships and she is extremely fearful for the future as she nears retirement age.Roger Obonsawin and Ljuba Irwin created OI Leasing in 1987, locating it on the Six Nations reserve.It hired people who would be “leased” back to work mostly at off-reserve Indigenous organizations, and because of its location on-reserve, employees would not pay income taxes.Michele Baptiste joined OI Leasing in 1993 and for an administration fee of 5 per cent of her earnings, she would be tax exempt, or so she thought.Baptiste would be with OI for 17 years and when CRA asked for back taxes it now numbered in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.“I didn’t know any different at the time,” she said.In 1999 the issue of whether off-reserve status Indians could be taxed went before the courts in a test case known as Shilling.Baptiste recalls that in addition to the 5% per cent, OI Leasing began asking for a contribution to a legal defense fund.The federal government successfully appealed Schilling.In 2002, the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the case and CRA started collecting back taxes.Years of letters and threats of legal action took their toll on Baptiste.“I had to quit a job because I became physically ill,” she said.Eventually, Baptiste felt the only way out was to declare bankruptcy.“I felt so disempowered,” she said. “I didn’t even know how to start a conversation with CRA.”Amy Desjarlais knows that feeling, although she only owes $28,000.“The bureaucratic processes are intimidating for our people,” she said.She received a letter from CRA just a few weeks ago, giving her four days to pay off the back taxes or be threatened with legal action.At this point Desjarlais is unsure whether to start negotiating a repayment schedule or wait for a remission order by the federal government to forgive a part, or all, of what she owes.Last December during its annual meeting in Gatineau, Que., the Assembly of First Nations turned the OI Leasing issue into Resolution #72.Of the three calls to action, the second one asked the Liberal government in its “promise to forge a new relationship,” grant a group remission order “to all current and former” employees of OI Leasing.Baptiste went to that meeting but said the AFN has done nothing since then.Regional Chief Day agreed.“And that’s one of the reasons I’m raising it,” he said. “Sometimes you just have to create the crisis. You have to stage the issue and put it out there.”Day also criticized National Chief Perry Bellegarde on Facebook.“You said you would help—well…we as a national executive must help—I can’t stand back continuing to watch FN citizens from Ontario wait under empty words—we need action, we need this to be a priority,” he wrote.The third call to action of Resolution #72 directed the National Chief “to make representations to the Minister of National Revenue concerning this issue and report the Minister’s response to the Chiefs-in-Assembly.”APTN News asked Day about whether Bellegarde had acted on Resolution #72 yet.“I think the National Chief has to answer that. I basically am going to step forward on my own steam. And ensure that’s what I do as the Ontario regional chief is speaking where I can on behalf of those individuals that have come forward and said, listen I need your help. As far as the National Chief, and what he does or doesn’t do, it’s a mystery at times.”The AFN, OI Leasing, and the federal government are all shouldering blame from victims.“The AFN negotiated tax exemption for themselves but did nothing,” said Hill. “They let us down, sold us out.”Desjarlais believes OI Leasing should shoulder some blame and have done a better job at warning her of the possible consequences.But the single mother is determined not to go further into debt or declare bankruptcy.“I don’t even know how to manage (the debt) all alone,” she said. “Just try and pay it off.”Contact Todd here: tlamirande@aptn.ca
Todd LamirandeAPTN NewsThe co-founder of a Sixties Scoop survivors group that meets every year in a rural part of Ottawa, put a slight twist on the annual event.This year, Colleen Cardinal brought along a book she has written about the abuse she suffered at during her stay in various foster homes.Cardinal also writes about her sister who was murdered in 1990.She presented the book to the gathering of survivors who were marking the fourth year in a row they have met to share their experiences.tlamirande@aptn.ca@ToddLamirande
APTN InFocusWith hunting and harvesting rights being attacked, and the cost of food going up, how are First Nation, Metis and Inuit people supposed to get back to traditional eating, or make healthy food choices on a tight budget?This week, InFocus with Host Melissa Ridgen, looked at the move towards country food including plants and animals consumed in a region by the people Indigenous to it.The challenges faced and the alternatives out there that offer a healthy alternative to our increasing reliance on processed food.Kayla Farquhar is a dietitian with First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba.She says that people generally want to be healthy and eat well – but it’s about re-learning how.“Traditional foods are very important not only culturally but nutritionally,” she said. “They generally include lean traditional meats that are high in iron and vitamins and minerals. They also include fibrous fruits and vegetables and good fatty fish.“We want to include traditional foods as much as we can. That being said, we’re not going to be able to go 100 per cent back to traditional foods, we have to kind of consider that store bought foods are going to be a part of our lives.”She said Canada’s new food guide is the best guide yet, and Indigenous people can also still choose to follow the 2007 Indigenous Food Guide until it’s revamped by the federal government, which is in the works.Portion size, the ration of various foods on each meal plate (half should be fruits and vegetables) and a switch from juices and milk to water and tea are key improvements one can make.Meanwhile, sharing traditional foods is under fire in Alberta where a Metis man has been charged with accepting fish from a Dene man. The law says First Nations hunters and fishers can only share with immediate family members.“There have been at least five other cases of Metis people being charged in northeast Alberta,” said Dwayne Roth, a Metis lawyer in Fort McMurray who is defending this case. “In each instance, the Crown dropped the charges before it could go to trial.“This is another one where Metis people, I feel, are being harassed for trying to exercise their rights. So we do have to mount a defence whenever this happens and try to defend the rights of our people.”Roth said he hopes this matter goes to trial and sets a precedent for the age-old practice of food sharing.Recently in Saskatchewan, an undercover conservation officer staged a 16 month sting to get a First Nations man to sell him $90 worth of fish. The fisher was fined $1,090.Both the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments claim they’re protecting fish stocks.But many question protecting the stocks from whom?And Roth suspects it’s more about harassing indigenous people who conversation officers feel have unfair harvesting rights.infocus@aptn.ca@aptninfocus
Lindsay RichardsonAPTN NewsMa-Nee Chacaby’s grandmother could tell that her young granddaughter was different long before Chacaby herself came to the same realization.“I was a Two-Spirit child, which means I had two spirits in my body, mind and soul,” she explained. “She said they’ve existed way back seven generations – when she was four years old, she was told people existed like that.”Traditionally, Chacaby says these people – known by other names prior to the introduction of the term ‘Two-Spirit’ in 2010 – were revered in First Nations communities; seen as those who walk with the Great Spirit, and often called upon to lead ceremony.Despite this early designation, Chacaby recalls her earliest memories of ‘pride,’ as memories of resistance.“My first pride was about being denied to go enjoy my life,” she said. “It was a rough road for the first three years of my coming out.”“When I came out as a lesbian woman in 1988, I had a lot of battles with the First Nations and had battles with white people because they didn’t like me being who I was,” Chacaby added. “But I didn’t care – I was prepared to die for my own cause. For my own who I am.”With the same raw conviction chronicled in her autobiography, ‘A Two-Spirit Journey’ – a French version of which was recently published in Quebec – Chacaby came to Montreal ready to lead the charge at this year’s gay pride festivities as a Parade Grand Marshall.“I live by love. Respect. And to honour yourself, who you are,” she said.Amidst scrutiny from racialized and marginalized groups, Fierté Montreal adopted a new mandate in 2019: to diversity and attempt to Indigenize their festival offerings as part of their bid to host World Pride in 2023.As the most-attended Pride festival across Canada, it was no small feat.“One of the main priorities was to meet as many different cultural groups I could, and to get to know their needs, and get to know what I could do to help them and to do as many projects as possible this first year,” explained Félicia Tremblay, Fierté’s newly-appointed Director of Diversity and Community Relations.“As a black Cherokee Two-Spirit person, someone who’s grown up in much oppression around a very non-cultural environment, I feel it’s very personal for me to listen well – not to speak for the others, but mostly to listen well to them,” Tremblay added.One of the more visible offerings new to the festival this year was the “Two-Spirit Space” – a teepee, designed and constructed by Innu artist Serge Ashini, with assistance from his partner, MMIWG Inquiry commissioner Michele Audette.Throughout the festival, the Two-Spirit space was occupied by a knowledge keeper, available for advisement and questions, as well as an interactive art installation overseen by members of the 2S Circle of Montreal.Even during the festival’s opening ‘Reconciliation Ceremony’ – held on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – the Two-Spirit space was the epicenter of a flurry of activity.“It’s hard for me to talk about it without getting emotional, because every day it’s like there’s a new beautiful that happens,” Tremblay added. “Seeing Two-Spirit families, hearing feedback from people who feel less alone because they went to an activity where they felt heard.”Although Tremblay concedes they’re already thinking of ways to up the gamut for next year’s edition of the festival, starting to consciously showcase Two-Spirit identities is an indelible step towards reconciliation.“Statistically we are growing in numbers in these cities; it’s important that we also take those spaces,” John Sylliboy, a Two-Spirit researcher and doctoral candidate at McGill University, explained.While delivering a panel discussion with Chacaby, Sylliboy – hailing from the Eskasoni Mi’kmaw Nation – presented crucial facets of his research into what ‘Two-Spirit’ means within Indigenous cultural identity and language, as well as how those elements are impacted by life in urban settings like Montreal.“Elders are saying ‘we need to learn this and re-learn a lot of it so we have words, vocabulary, terms and phrases that young people could use to self-identify for their own well-being,’” Sylliboy explained.“In Quebec it’s a process by which a lot of people are stuck between identity of language and identity of culture – but a lot of that excludes indigenous culture. A lot of that excludes indigenous identity or even Two-Spirit identity,” he added.It’s hard to deny that Quebec’s politics still draw a dividing line.Premier Francois Legault attended the weekend’s festivities, despite a petition signed by hundreds dubbing him a “false ally,” and calling for him to opt out altogether.Many believe Legault’s leadership is bolstering division among cultural communities, and fuelling far-right vitriol.Even with diversity at the forefront in 2019, Fierté says they’ve logged thousands of hateful online comments across social media platforms since May – an “unprecedented” amount, according to festival President Jean-Sébastien Boudreault.“There’s so much work to do when you want to love somebody,” Chacaby said. “That what I’m trying to teach the young people; I want them to learn that love is the most important thing. Love can conquer evil. Love can conquer hate.“Hate adopts you. You adopt it so quickly. But love? You’ve got to work at it.”lrichardson@aptn.ca@sentimtl
Some of the most active companies traded Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:Toronto Stock Exchange (15,857.22, up 39.22 points):Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Aerospace, rail equipment. Up six cents, or 2.16 per cent, to $2.84 on 8.8 million shares. Airbus has no plans to buy out minority C Series partners Bombardier and the Quebec government, Airbus chief executive Tom Enders said Friday. According to terms of the deal announced Monday, Airbus had the option to buy out Bombardier in about seven years, and the Quebec government in 2023.Lundin Mining Corp. (TSX:LUN). Miner. Up 22 cents, or 2.26 per cent, to $9.97 on 4.03 million shares.Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp. (TSX:AQN). Utilities. Up three cents, or 0.21 per cent, to $14.00 on 3.98 million shares.Nemaska Lithium Inc. (TSX:NMX). Miner. Down four cents, 2.42 per cent, to $1.61 on 3.89 million shares.Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Financial Services. Up four cents, or 0.15 per cent, to $26.02 on 3.78 million shares.Titan Medical Inc. (TSX:TMD). Healthcare. Up 11.5 cents, 35.38 per cent, to 44 cents on 3.75 million shares.Companies reporting major news:Concordia International Corp. (TSX:CXR). Health-care. Down 46 cents, or 38.98 per cent, to 72 cents on 2.1 million shares. The Ontario-based drug company announced its intention to reduce its debt by more than $2 billion under a proposed recapitalization transaction. Concordia had traded above $100 for a time in mid-2015 before its fall.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is looking into how a decision was made to place one of the province’s first government-run cannabis stores less than a kilometre from a school, as school board officials say they were left out of the process.Wynne said Thursday that safety remains her top concern as the province rolls out a chain of stores to sell and distribute recreational marijuana, which is expected to become legal this summer.The premier said she would ask her staff what led to the selection of the Toronto site.“I am going to ask a question about exactly how the decision was made,” she said. “I just want to know that the school board had input into it.”The province announced the locations of its first four pot stores on Wednesday, saying they’d be set up in Guelph, Kingston, Toronto and Thunder Bay.The site in east Toronto, however, is close to at least one school, which came as a surprise to the Toronto District School Board.The board wasn’t consulted about the location, said the board’s chair, Robin Pilkey.“If we had been consulted, we would have consulted with parents,” she said, noting that some have complained to the local trustee.“We’re kind of surprised, actually,” said Pilkey. “We heard nothing about this.”She said the lack of communication is concerning, given that dozens more shops are set to open across the province this year. Once locations are announced it becomes harder to change them, she said.“To me this is a bit like the Wild West — they don’t know how it’s going to run out, so I think caution in the beginning would have been a good idea,” she said.The Ontario Public School Boards Association said the site selection process itself isn’t clear and that needs to change.Ontario was the first province to announce a detailed plan to sell and distribute marijuana after the federal government announced it would legalize recreational pot by this summer.The province plans to set up a total of roughly 150 standalone cannabis stores by 2020, with the first 40 set to open this year.The stores will be run by a subsidiary of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, and the legal age to buy marijuana will be set at 19 — the same as for alcohol and cigarettes.The LCBO has said store locations would comply with local zoning rules, minimize proximity to schools and factor in where illegal dispensaries are currently operating.Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said Thursday there are ongoing discussions with municipalities and other stakeholders about the placement of the stores, but noted that finding appropriate locations is more difficult in cities due to density.“In certain urban communities it’s difficult to have that degree of separation,” Sousa said. What’s more, he said, “in some of these locations we have illegal dispensaries so we want to combat them.”New Democrat lawmaker Peter Tabuns said there’s no indication, however, that the government’s plan will help tackle the black market.“I don’t think they’re going to have enough outlets to actually provide an alternative to people,” he said.
VANCOUVER – Home sales across Metro Vancouver tumbled last month, when compared with May 2017 and the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says that raises the potential of lower prices for some types of homes.The board says 2,833 properties sold in its region in May, a 35.1 per cent plunge from sales recorded in the same time last year, although May’s sales were up nearly 10 per cent over transactions in April.A news release from the real estate board says sales in May were 19.3 per cent below the 10-year average for the month.Board president Phil Moore says low sales and a nearly 10 per cent jump in the number of newly listed properties between April and May has pushed selection to its highest level in two years.Moore says supply is still below the 10-year average but when the total number of single detached home sales is divided by total listings for that type of property, the ratio is 14.7, nearing the indicator where downward pressure on prices can occur.The sales-to-active listings ratios for townhomes and condominiums are higher, at 30.8 per cent for townhomes and 41.7 per cent for condominiums, well above the 20 per cent mark that the board says can trigger upward pressure on prices.“For home sellers to be successful in today’s market, it’s important to price your property competitively given the shifting dynamics we’re experiencing,” Moore says in the release.The composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is $1,094,000, an 11.5 per cent increase over May 2017.Sales of detached properties across Metro Vancouver fell 40.2 per cent in May, compared with May 2017, while the benchmark price was set at $1,608,000, a 2.4 per cent increase year-over-year.Sales of condominiums and townhomes also dropped last month when compared with the year before, down 29.3 per cent for condos and 39.8 per cent for townhomes.The benchmark price for condos was up 20 per cent to $701,700 and townhomes jumped 16 per cent to $859,500 over the same period, but the board says price increases for both types of properties have remained under one per cent since April.
OTTAWA — Calgary’s local CUPW is on strike again for 24 hours.The federal government is prepared to order an end to rotating strikes by Canada Post employees if a collective agreement isn’t soon reached, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu said Tuesday.“We strongly encourage both sides to reach a deal and are prepared to table legislation if we do not see a resolution over the next few days, a step we do not take lightly,” she said in a statement.Hajdu said the Liberal government has faith in the collective bargaining process and believes the best deals are reached at the bargaining table.She said it has supported and encouraged such an outcome by providing conciliation officers, appointing mediators and offering voluntary arbitrations. The government has also reappointed Morton Mitchnick as special mediator.“Despite all of this, limited progress was made and we have exhausted our options,” she added.Regardless of whether it gets a last-minute deal with its striking employees, Canada Post warned Canadians Tuesday that they can expect delays of parcel and mail delivery into the new year as a result of rotating walkouts.Businesses and individual customers can expect the worst delays in southern and southwestern Ontario because of a backlog of hundreds of transport trailers sitting idle at Canada Post’s main Toronto sorting facility, the Crown corporation said.“The postal service remains operational, but the prolonged and ongoing strike activity has not only caused significant backlogs, it continues to greatly reduce our ability to process and deliver mail and parcels across the country,” a Canada Post spokesman said in an email.“Our focus across the country is to process and deliver as much as possible on a first-in, first-out basis.”Canada Post is dealing with a fifth week of rotating strikes by its unionized workers as both sides remain apart in contract negotiations.Distribution centres in Vancouver, Edmonton and Montreal are also experiencing severe backlogs, and packages are backing up at border points, despite a plea from Canada Post to its international partners to halt shipments, spokesman Jon Hamilton said.“International items will require screening by the Canada Border Services Agency and we are working in partnership with them to manage the significant existing backlog.”Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeated his call Tuesday for both sides in the dispute to resolve their differences soon, making note of important Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events that coincide with American Thanksgiving this coming weekend.“We are, of course, very preoccupied with the fact that Christmas is coming, important shopping days are coming and we need to see a resolution to that,” Trudeau said as he arrived in Ottawa for a meeting with his cabinet.The Canadian Union of Postal Workers on Monday turned down an offer for a holiday cooling-off period and a possible $1,000 bonus for its 50,000 members, saying it would only mean postal employees continuing to work under the same conditions the union is trying to have changed.Major issues in nearly a full year of bargaining have included what CUPW calls an “injury crisis,” along with gender inequality, overburdening and precarious work.The latest round of rotating strikes hit several Ontario communities Tuesday including Woodstock, St. Thomas, Chatham and three locations in Scarborough, as well as Prince George, B.C.Canada Post has apologized to its customers for the continued walkouts, and warned that it cannot now predict the exact length of delivery delays.“This is likely to be the situation for the foreseeable future, meaning the next several weeks, including the peak holiday season and through January 2019,” the company said.
TORONTO — Demand from retirees, investors and those looking for a winter getaway is driving strong demand for condominiums in popular recreational real estate markets, at times, nearly double the rate for detached homes, says a report by Royal LePage.The realty brokerage says the median price for a condominium located in Whistler, B.C., grew by 26.5 per cent to $610,000 this year, compared with a year ago. While prices for detached homes in the popular ski resort town increased by 14.5 per cent to a median price of $2.4 million for the same period.Pat Kelly, president and owner of Royal LePage Black Tusk, attributed the growth in condo prices to a boon in the tourism sector by buyers looking for short-term income rentals and investment properties.It was a similar trend in other popular winter destinations in Canada.The report found that condo prices at the foot of Mont-Tremblant, Que., grew by 30 per cent to $325,000 from a year ago. The median price for a condominium in Mont-Tremblant’s village climbed 8.1 per cent to $186,500. The price of a detached home in the village was up 1.9 per cent to $425,000 year over year.Condo prices in Canmore, Alta., near picturesque Banff, jumped 9.6 per cent to $472,000 this year, while the median price of a detached home fell by 1.1 per cent to $918,500 compared with a year ago.In Collingwood, Ont., which is home to the Blue Mountain ski resort, condo prices were up 5.4 per cent to $407,700 from a year ago, while detached property prices rose 6.3 per cent $549,000 during the same period.Royal LePage says they anticipate demand for recreational properties to remain steady in 2019, as baby boomers look to these areas in their retirement or as second homes.Follow @LindaNguyenTO on Twitter.Linda Nguyen , The Canadian Press
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – An increase in price for water and sewer rates will continue to go up in the New Year following the City’s plan for 100 percent full cost recovery.With the City of FSJ continuing on their strategic plan of leadership, in environmental responsibility through sustainable and effective practices, as well as managing public assets and human resources.Supporting the current and future needs of the community’s water and sewer rates need to be increased annually. To address increasing operating costs and work to the goal of full cost recovery for the water and sewer systems, a review completed in April 2012 outlined options for achieving 100 percent full cost recovery.The goal was set at ten years so the City can achieve the revenue needed to ensure the ability to deal with emergencies and asset management in regards to water and sewer functions.Without sufficient financial reserves, the City cannot ensure that water and sewer infrastructure is capable of meeting the demands of the residents of Fort St. John.The City passed the motion allowing the Amendment to Bylaw’s No. 2450 and No. 2451 that water rates will increase, per cubic metre rate, from $1.62 in 2018 to $1.65 effective January 1st, 2019. Sewer rates will increase, per cubic metre rate, from $1.67 in 2018 to $1.69 effective January 1st, 2019.
Kolkata: A woman reportedly committed suicide on Tuesday morning after her husband died due to a cardiac arrest in Cooch Behar.According to a source, on Sunday night Abhijit Guha suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to a private hospital in Cooch Behar. On Monday night, Abhijit died due to cardiac problems. Riddhi Guha, Abhijit’s wife was informed by her in-laws about his death. On Tuesday morning, when the family members went to hospital to bring Abhijit’s body home, Riddhi all of a sudden jumped from the roof of their three-storied house. She was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. Abhijit and Riddhi got married 12 years ago and they are survived by two children.
Amaravati (AP): Claiming that there was a “silent wave” in the state in his favour, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday, however, accused the Election Commission of India of making the election process a “big farce.”Addressing a press conference a day after polling for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats was completed, the Chief Minister spit fire on the ECI over the manner in which the election process was conducted, alleging that 30-40 per cent EVMs in the state either malfunctioned or did not function. Also Read – Uddhav bats for ‘Sena CM'”This is a very big farce. Disaster for the nation. I can say it is a big confusion, big mess, big farce,” Naidu said in a restless tone. He claimed that as per “official information” 4,583 EVMs got stuck in the state and noted that it was a “major crisis.” He found fault with the Deputy Election Commissioner’s clarification that there was no problem with the EVMs in AP. “I have never seen such an insensitive, unrealistic, irresponsible and useless Election Commission. Do you make a mockery of democracy? EC turned into BJP branch office,” the TDP chief said. Also Read – Farooq demands unconditional release of all detainees in J&K”As senior leader I have to warn them (EC). Country should know. They should not commit any more these type of mistakes,” Naidu added. The TDP chief also said he would file a review petition in the Supreme Court over its order on counting of VVPAT slips. “I am going to Delhi tomorrow (to meet the ECI officials). EC should answer why it did all this. After this we will go logically on EVMs,” he said and reiterated the demand that the country revert to the old ballot paper system. To a question, he replied more rigging was happening now, that too in an easier way with the use of EVMs. The Chief Minister also fired at the ECI over the appointment of the state Chief Secretary, alleging that the latter was a “co-accused with Jagan” in the disproportionate assets case. “How do you post the CS without consulting us? Do we have to get work done through him? You will run governments? Will you look after my security,” Naidu asked, finding fault with the EC over the transfer of Intelligence DG and three other IPS officers. The TDP president also cried that the general elections in Andhra Pradesh were scheduled in the first phase in one go only to “leave me no time.”
London: England batsman Alex Hales has gone on an indefinite break due to personal reasons, thus putting a question mark over his availability in the World Cup slated to begin from May 30. Hales, who has a white-ball only contract with Nottinghamshire, missed the club’s opening Royal London Cup match against Lancashire. The club said that “no timetable has been set for his return”. “Alex Hales has made himself unavailable for selection for personal reasons and no timetable has been set for his return to action,” BBC quoted Nottinghamshire as saying in a statement. Also Read – Puducherry on top after 8-wkt win over Chandigarh England players are set to meet up for a World Cup training camp next week, ahead of ODIs against Ireland and Pakistan. They will begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa in the tournament opener on May 30. The 30-year-old has scored six centuries and 14 half-centuries in 70 ODI games for England. His score of 171 at Trent Bridge in 2016 is the second-highest individual ODI innings ever posted in an England shirt, and helped the team to a then record 50-over score of 444-3. Two years later, his knock of 147 in Nottingham was integral to England breaking their own tally of 481 against Australia.
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday stayed the termination of services of teachers who have not passed the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) so far.It also observed that the teachers would be seriously prejudiced if no interim order was granted as the state government had not conducted the test in 2018. A division bench of Justices C V Karthikeyan and Krishnan Ramasamy passed the interim order on a batch of appeals from teachers working in the government and aided schools in Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi districts challenging the April 30 order issued by a single judge. Also Read – 2019 most peaceful festive season for J&K: Jitendra SinghThe bench also directed the appellant teachers to appear for the test scheduled to be held on June 8 and 9. It restrained authorities concerned from taking action against them till then and posted the matter for further hearing to June 12. On Wednesday, the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) had declared that the TET would be conducted on June 8 and 9. Justice S M Subramaniam had last month ordered the government to issue a show-cause notice, returnable in two weeks, to all ‘unqualified’ teachers, who have not cleared the TET. Also Read – Personal life needs to be respected: Cong on reports of Rahul’s visit abroadIn respect of implementing the qualifications, there could not be any leniency or misplaced sympathy by the state government as this would be detrimental to the national educational policy, as well as in the interest of education to be imparted to the children, he had said. The appellants had contended that they did not find any amendment to the RTE Act fixing March 31, 2019 as the dead line for passing the TET, as pointed out by the judge. In the absence of a date prior to March 31, it is impossible for the appellants to pass the TET before that date, they had said. According to the RTE Act, it is mandatory for the primary and upper primary teachers to clear the TET to get employment as secondary grade teachers and BT assistants (graduate teachers). When the matter came up Thursday, the government counsel could not offer any explanation for not conducting the TET in 2018.
Rabat – The 10th edition of Aeromart, an international business convention of aeronautical and space industries, will see the participation of six Moroccan companies, LaVieEco reported.Over 2300 participants from 45 countries will participate in the event which will be held from 2 to 4 December, 2014 in Toulouse, France.For the first time, six Moroccan companies will represent the Moroccan aeronautical sector in this international platform of exchange between manufacturers, suppliers, subcontractors and aviation service providers. The aeronautical sector in Morocco has now more than 60 companies, 70% of which have less than 5 years of existence. The sector has created more than 7,000 jobs with a turnover of 6 billion Dirhams.
Rabat – As part of its ongoing expansion to increase the brand’s international presence, Bentley Motors has announced the opening of its first dealership in Morocco economic capital, Casablanca.Moroccans can now order Bentley’s latest model, the Bentayga- the fastest and most exclusive SUV in the world, as it will be offered in Bentley’s first showroom in Casablanca.Located in the AïnSebaâ district in Casablanca, the showroom will offer in addition to Bentley Bentayga, the complete Bentley model range, including the stylish Continental GT, the Flying Spur luxury sedan and the Mulsanne, Bentley pinnacle flagship A press release by Bentley Casablanca said it also offers after sales services and the company’s branded luxury goods.“We start in Morocco in a strong position, already seeing high levels of enthusiasm for Bentley from potential customers, ‘’ said Robert Engstler, Regional Director Europe for Bentley Motors.The opening of the new showroom in Casablanca comes after Bentley Motors announced that the Moroccan car dealer company, Centrale Automobile Cherifienne (SA) is authorized partner.Robert Engstler stressed that Centrale Automobile Cherifienne is ‘’the right partner,’’ pointing out that it ‘’combined an in-depth knowledge of business in Morocco with a long and successful track record of automotive retailing.’’Victor Elbaz, President of Centrale Automobile Chérifiennesaid : ‘’We believe we have significant potential in our market with Bentley.’’‘’We look forward to welcoming customers and fans to our dealership and offering them a truly first-class Bentley experience,’’ he concluded.© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed