APTN National NewsOne of the world’s largest oil companies says they are running out of oil.In its annual financial report, energy giant Exxon Mobil says that for every 100 barrels of oil it has in reserves, it can only replace 95.The Alberta government sees that as its ace in the hole.APTN National News reporter Noemi LoPinto has more.
APTN National NewsA group of First Nation students are heading to Geneva to address the United Nations.Their message is about the health and well being of First Nation children across the country.APTN National News reporter Donna Smith has this story.
APTN National NewsThere was no hockey lockout in Whitehorse this week.NHL hockey players took the ice in the Yukon capital for a friendly game to raise money for First Nation youth and local charities.APTN National News reporter Shirley McLean has this story.
APTN National NewsA west coast artist just completed a week long journey in support of the Idle No More movement.Beau Dick walked from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to British Columbia’s capital in the south.And once there Dick performed a seldom seen ceremony aimed at shaming and challenging governments.APTN National News reporter Rob Smith was there to witness the powerful moment.
APTN National NewsEarlier this week APTN told you about Evan Cromarty, the 20 year-old man shot by the RMCP on the Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba.Cromarty’s father spoke to APTN’s Shaneen Robinson about his son and the shooting incident.
APTN National NewsHundreds of people gathered in downtown Montreal Wednesday for the relaunching of Plan Nord.Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard had a clear message for the northern communities.“We have not only talk about new mines in Quebec and new hydro-electric projects, but we have talk about quality of life of northern communities, schooling, day care, manpower training, all these elements are also parts of the project,” said Couillard.APTN’s Danielle Rochette was there and has his story.
Matt Thordarson APTN National NewsA forest fire raging in central Manitoba has forced the evacuation of over one thousand people from a First Nation.The blaze forced a number of people to interrupt a very special day.
Dennis Ward APTN National NewsIt was a day of mixed emotions and cautious optimism for some of the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women.Wednesday in Gatineau, Que., across the river from parliament hill, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett launched phase two of the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.APTN’s Dennis Ward reports.
APTN NewsSen. Lynn Beyak remains defiant in keeping ‘racist’ letters about residential schools up on her Senate website and says she was never told to take them down by Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.“Contrary to his statement, that he asked me to remove content and I refused, neither I nor my staff ever spoke with Andrew Scheer or anyone from his office, at any time,” said Beyak in a statement Monday.Scheer said last week he demanded Beyak to remove about 100 “support letters” of her drive to show the good Indian residential schools did and other Indigenous issues.When she refused, he kicked her out of the Conservative caucus, making her an independent senator.“I demanded Senator Beyak remove this content from her website. She refused,” Scheer said.Scheer mentioned one comment in a letter was particularly offensive.“To suggest that indigenous Canadians are lazy compared to other Canadians, is simply racist,” he said.Beyak said the letters posted are not racist.“Talking points from his office also declared: ‘Senator Beyak admitted that she intentionally posted racist correspondence about Indigenous Canadians to her Parliamentary website,’ said Beyak. “That statement is completely false. I would never say or do such a thing.”She added she learned she was getting booted from caucus through a media release from Scheer’s office.That aside, Beyak believes her website, and the letters, provide a platform for free speech.“Canadians can read and decide for themselves what is relevant and helpful for a fresh start for those Indigenous people who still suffer, and who live in hopelessness and poverty with inadequate housing and dirty water,” she said.“Discerning citizens don’t need government to tell them what is allegedly racist.”Fellow senator Lillian Dyck said last week the letters could lead to criminal charged for hate speech.“I looked it up,” Dyck told APTN News Friday. “Hate speech is communicating statements in public that incite hatred against any identifiable group.“Someone could look into this…Check all the letters and make a determination as to whether it met the high standard for hate speech. She could be charged.”Dyck is from the Gordon First Nation in Saskatchewan and chair of the Aboriginal Peoples committee. Beyak was removed from that committee last year when she expressed support for the schools.Scheer also said last week he first learned of the letters Jan. 2 but they had been on Beyak’s website for several months.An email dated September 15 from a residential school survivor provided to APTN News, indicates that Scheer’s office was tipped off then about the “support letters.”Sen. Larry Smith, the Conservative leader in the Senate was also sent the email.“I am disappointed that my email back in September was ignored,” said Garnet Angeconeb. “They knew all along she had those ‘support letters’ on her Parliamentary website.”Angeconeb is just one of many who believe Beyak’s letters and stance on residential schools are racist.A spokesman for Scheer said his office gets 1,000 to 2,500 “pieces of correspondence” a week and it usually takes four to six months for people to get a response.“We have about four or five staff members who are tasked with strictly doing that,” said Jake Enwright. “They work very, very hard to answer these inquiries as quickly as possible.”Enwright maintained Scheer learned of the letters Jan. 2 and that Angeconeb’s email was in the que to receive a response. news@aptn.ca
Brittany Hobson APTN NewsFor the first time in 28 years Rita Thomas shared the story of her sister Marina Spence who went missing from Thompson in August 1990.“I knew something was wrong. My heart just hurt,” Thomas told Commissioner Michele Audette during hearings for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Thompson, Man. on Tuesday evening.Thomas shared her sister’s story now in hopes of getting justice for her family.Child and family services apprehended Thomas and her five siblings, including Spence, from their home community of South Indian Lake, approximately 400 kilometres north of Thompson, after their mother died in 1990.Thomas and Spence were placed in separate homes in Thompson, but the two still remained in contact.Spence, 17, was in care when she went missing.“I know for a fact that CFS failed my family,” said Thomas.One night in August 1990 the sisters went out drinking. Thomas doesn’t remember what happened that night. All she can remember is waking up in a jail cell by herself. When she asked police where Spence was they told her she was the only one sent to the drunk tank.Thomas returned to her foster home and continued to ask her caseworker where Spence was. The only information her caseworker gave her was that Spence had gone to the town of Leaf Rapids, approximately 200 kilometres north of Thompson.After a few days of not hearing from Spence, Thomas decided to report her missing to the RCMP. When she arrived at the station an officer wouldn’t let her in the building.“I went to the station and reported my sister missing through the intercom,” said Thomas. “After I reported her missing through the intercom they got a statement off me. That was it.”Thomas said the next time police followed up with her was 11 years later when some of Spence’s remains were found near the Burntwood Bridge in Thompson. Police identified the remains through dental records.The news destroyed Thomas who was already dealing with drug and alcohol addiction at the time.“I wasn’t there to be a voice for her because I was busy drinking,” Thomas said tearfully during testimony. “Not caring about anything. Not caring about myself. My children.”Thomas said she still doesn’t know what happened to her sister.APTN News asked the RCMP for information related to Spence’s case. They were unable to provide a response by deadline.Thomas believes if child and family services allowed Spence to stay in the community with their grandmother she would still be alive.“My granny was more than capable of looking after us,” said said.“Hearing about Marina’s death broke her heart.”Debra Merasty is a family friend. She sat with Thomas during testimony Tuesday. She said there need to be more supports for guardians when kids are apprehended.“We should have these supports at a community level,” she said.She said without people to help guardians they are often left with little support or information on how to get back their kids.In the meantime, speaking out for the first time has finally given Thomas a chance to move forward.“I’m just ready to heal. That’s what I’m going to do for myself,” she said.bhobson@aptn.ca
National Bank of Canada says a website error may have exposed the personal information of nearly 400 of its customers, including their names, birthdates, phone number and email address.The Canadian lender says in a statement the problem related to an electronic form on its website and did not expose clients’ banking information, social insurance numbers or addresses.The bank says a customer filling out an online form to make a branch appointment may have been able to see the data entered by a previous user.National Bank says it was notified earlier this week about the problem, which lasted a few days.The lender adds the incident was the result of human error while setting up the online form, and was resolved immediately.The bank is contacting the nearly 400 potentially-affected customers to offer free credit monitoring.
Canadian Tire Corp. views its $985-million acquisition of Norwegian outdoor clothing and gear maker Helly Hansen as a “major step forward” to diversify its offerings at home and launch new opportunities in international markets.“This is a brand that we truly believe has a lot of runway ahead of it internationally,” CEO Stephen Wetmore said in an interview.The Toronto-based retailer has long been one of Helly Hansen’s biggest customers and the deal announced Thursday will bolster a number of its product categories, including camping, hunting and fishing, at both Canadian Tire department stores and its Mark’s clothing chain, he said.Helly Hansen, which was founded in Moss, Norway, in 1877 and is now sold in more than 40 countries around the world, has “successfully and profitably entered many markets” globally with its outdoor adventure, sailing, skiing and casual industrial brand, Wetmore said in an earlier conference call with financial analysts.“This too will serve as a foundation for us to build upon in future years with existing or new owned brands,” Wetmore said during the call.Canadian Tire identified the Norwegian brand as an acquisition target shortly after it established its consumer brands division, seeing it as an opportunity to strengthen some of its most “strategic and brand-sensitive categories,” but the deal took 18 months to come together, Wetmore said.“The journey wasn’t easy and worthy pursuits rarely are,” he said.“And while we would have liked to have been faster, the result was worth the wait.”Wetmore explained in an interview that it took time for the company to convince the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, which acquired Helly Hansen in 2012, to become a willing seller.The outdoor brand will continue to be sold in a broad range of stores in Canada, not just Canadian Tire stores, the company said. Canadian Tire stores will also carry a broader selection of Helly Hansen products, including the brand’s footwear line.Canadian Tire will assume $50 million in debt under terms of the deal.Helly Hansen CEO Paul Stoneham and the management team, based in Oslo, Norway, are expected to continue to lead the business.“(Canadian Tire) provides us with the ideal platform to further accelerate our growth trajectory and also strengthen our Canadian presence. This is a great opportunity for Helly Hansen and our team,” Stoneham said.“As a Canadian, I am particularly proud to say that Canadian Tire is the new home for Helly Hansen.”The deal is expected to close in the third-quarter and Helly Hansen is expected to add value to Canadian Tire’s profits this year,.However, Canadian Tire class A shares fell nearly six per cent to $165.08 in afternoon trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange after the deal was announced and the company reported first-quarter profit that slipped compared with a year ago due to one-time accelerated depreciation charge.Retail analyst Peter Sklar said he believes the price tag for Helly Hansen was expensive and that the deal might be unnecessary to accomplish some of Canadian Tire’s most immediate goals. He also mused about whether managing a high-end, high-growth international brand is too far outside Canadian Tire’s wheelhouse.“While the acquisition gives Canadian Tire a platform for the international wholesale distribution of existing Canadian Tire house brands, Canadian Tire is not planning on capitalizing on this opportunity for at least several years,” he wrote in a note.“Canadian Tire’s immediate plans are to instead focus on deepening the relationship with HH by carrying a fuller offering of HH products at all of its banners, which we believe could have been accomplished without acquiring the brand.”Canadian Tire’s chief financial officer Dean McCann said he’s “very comfortable with the price.”He noted the acquisition presents three opportunities for the company: to strengthen its existing banners by carrying more Helly Hansen items, to take advantage of a very disciplined and well-managed business, and to sell in-house brands internationally.While Canadian Tire is not in a rush to fulfil the latter, “the opportunity is probably closer” than the several years Sklar indicates, McCann said.Canadian Tire reported Thursday a first-quarter profit attributable to shareholders of $78 million, or $1.18 per share for the quarter, down from $87.5 million, or $1.24 per share a year ago. Analysts had expected earnings of $1.38 per share. However, Sklar calculated that earnings adjusted for the one-time charge were closer to analysts’ estimates at $1.37 per share.Revenue totalled $2.81 billion, up from $2.72 billion in the same quarter last year.Consolidated same store sales were up 5.2 per cent in the quarter as Canadian Tire gained 5.8 per cent, Mark’s added 3.4 per cent and FGL, which includes the Sport Chek banner, gained 3.9 per cent.— With files from Armina LigayaCompanies in this story: (TSX:CTC.A)Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version stated that Helly Hansen was founded in Oslo.
TORONTO – WestJet Airlines Ltd. is teaming up with the Royal Bank of Canada to create a new loyalty program that aims to attract a “very substantial” group of “very unhappy” customers from the Aeroplan program, which its rival Air Canada is preparing to replace in 2020.WestJet and RBC said Wednesday that they will launch the Ampli loyalty platform with offers and rewards for customers by the end of the year.The venture is an opportunity for the airline to take advantage of uncertainty about Air Canada’s decision to ditch the Aimia-backed Aeroplan loyalty program, said WestJet chief executive Ed Sims.When the decision was announced last year, it upset some customers who had collected points under the program for years and questioned how Air Canada’s new program would work.“There are people who know what is happening and don’t care and will stick with that scheme. There are those who know what is happening, but think it’s two years away and aren’t going to do anything about it and the third camp are very unhappy about the uncertainty that that situation is creating and are actively looking at other schemes and alternatives,” said Sims. “It is that third group that we believe are going to be highly attracted to our new proposition.”In marketing to that group, Sims said WestJet will highlight that the airline does not overbook flights or have blackouts when loyalty points can’t be redeemed.He also said the RBC partnership will help remind consumers about the airline more often, since most people use banking services more often than they fly.The Ampli loyalty program will operate through a mobile app that gives guests instant access to updates about their balance, and also offers WestJet and RBC quick insight into user habits.The platform will build on RBC and WestJet’s existing relationship, which includes a WestJet branded RBC MasterCard.In recent years, RBC has increased its focus on partnerships, signing deals with Indigo, Tire Butler, Shopify and others.On Wednesday at its Investor Day event in Toronto, the bank further indicated its interest in using creative ways to lure customers, when it revealed it had formed a division for such offerings called RBC Ventures.Companies in this story: (TSX:RY, TSX:WJA, TSX:AIM, TSX:AC)
BRUSSELS — The Latest on the debate over Britain’s impending departure from the European Union (all times local):12:20 p.m.British Prime Minister Theresa May will make an emergency statement to Parliament about Brexit, amid reports that a crucial vote on her EU divorce deal will be postponed.The House of Commons Speaker’s office says May will make the previously unscheduled statement at about 3:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. EST).The announcement came as May held talks with her Cabinet about the next steps in the Brexit process. The House of Commons is due to vote Tuesday on whether to accept or reject the Brexit deal, and signs point to a big defeat for the prime minister.May’s office said the vote was definitely going ahead, but the BBC and other outlets reported it would be delayed.___9 a.m.The European Union’s top court has ruled that Britain can change its mind over Brexit, boosting the hopes of people who want to stay in the EU that the process can be reversed.The European Court of Justice ruled Monday that when an EU member country has notified its intent to leave, “that member state is free to revoke unilaterally that notification.”Britain voted in 2016 to leave the 28-nation bloc, and invoked Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty in March 2017, triggering a two-year exit process.Article 50 contains few details, in part because the idea of any country leaving was considered unlikely.The Luxembourg-based ECJ said that given the absence of any exit provision in Article 50, countries are able to change their mind in line with their own constitutional arrangements and that such a move “reflects a sovereign decision.”The British government is free to do so as long as no withdrawal agreement has entered force.___Lawless reported from London.The Associated Press
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — School District 60 has cancelled all school buses in the North Peace today.In an announcement on their website, the school district said that poor visibility and road conditions across the North Peace have caused officials to cancel school buses for the entire day today. The School District added that schools will remain open for the day today.School District 59’s Transportation Manager Jeff Lekstrom said that despite the weather, school buses are all running on schedule in the South Peace today.
DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – On Saturday, December 8 at 7:48 AM, Dawson Creek RCMP were called to the parking lot of the Pouce Pub (Hart Hotel) for a man laying down.The adult male was unresponsive and taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.RCMP say the death appears to be suspicious in nature and police are looking to the public for information. The police have no information to suggest that the greater public is at further risk. Anyone who was a patron at the Pouce Pub on Friday, December 7 and into Saturday, December 8, is asked to call the Dawson Creek RCMP at 250 784-3700 or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477.
OTTAWA, O.N. – The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics has released the agenda for the upcoming second meeting on Big Data, Privacy and Democracy.From May 27 to the 29, expert witnesses will be in Ottawa to appear before representatives from at least 11 countries to give testimony on how governments can protect democracy and citizen rights in the age of big data.Witnesses appearing at the testimony include: Roger McNamee, Author of Zucked: Waking up to the Facebook CatastropheShoshana Zuboff, Author of The Age of Surveillance CapitalismMaria Ressa, Journalist, Author of From Bin Laden to Facebook:10 Days of Abduction, 10 Years of TerrorismJim Balsillie, Chair, Centre for International Governance Innovation; Retired Chairman and co-CEO of BlackBerryEllen Weintraub, Chair of the United States Federal Election CommissionDaniel Therrien, Privacy Commissioner of CanadaJoseph Cannataci, Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, United NationsProfessor Heidi Tworek, University of British ColumbiaJason Kint, CEO Digital Content NextTaylor Owen, McGill UniversityIt is said that representatives from Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft, Amazon and the Mozilla Foundation will also be in attendance to provide testimony. The only company not to have confirmed its attendance is Apple.M.P. and Committee Chair, Bob Zimmer, says he is looking forward to hearing from the testimonies of global tech experts about how to protect the privacy of citizens in the digital age. Zimmer also expects Facebook executives, Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, to comply with the Committee’s recent subpoena.“I look forward to hearing from this list of global experts as they identify not only the issues surrounding big data and democracy, but also how we, as lawmakers, can work to find solutions to protect the rights of our citizens. Further, I expect Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg to comply with our subpoena, respect the will of lawmakers representing over 373 million citizens, and show up.”A link to the agenda can be found here.The International Grand Committee on Big Data, Privacy and Democracy takes place May 27 to the 29, 2019 in Ottawa.
New Delhi: In a Law and Order meeting on the theme “General Election 2019 preparedness”, the Excise Department was told to explore the possibility of earning revenue from confiscated liquor. In the meeting, the city police were told to closely monitor the social media till the completion of the election. Highly placed sources told Millennium Post that the meeting was held at Raj Niwas on the last week of March. The timing was around 11:30 am under the chairmanship of LG Delhi. The meeting was attended by chief secretary rank officials, Delhi Police, the Excise Department, Divisional Commissioner. “In the meeting Excise Department has been told to explore the possibility of earning revenue from confiscated liquor in accordance with rules instead of destroying it, if found fit for human consumption,” sources said.The meeting was related to preparedness of Delhi Police including force management, coordination with police neighbouring states to check communal violence, terrorist activities, distribution of illicit liquor, cash & other narcotics drugs, security of VIPs/VVIPs, crime in border areas, sale of illegal arms, weapons, action against defacement of public property, vulnerability mapping of polling stations. At the start of meeting a Special CP from Delhi Police gave a power point presentation on the preparedness. The issues of deployment, mobility, the requirement of Central forces, coordination with neighbouring states and enforcement of Model Code of Conduct were discussed. Sources further said after deliberations, several decisions were taken in the meeting. Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Police will maintain constant liaison with CEO, Delhi to ensure strict enforcement of Model Code of Conduct and action against illicit cash, liquor and muscle-men. “Field supervision to be ensured by senior officers through surprise checks. It was informed that a Single Window System for permissions before conducting meetings, rallies etc exists in the office of every Returning Officer. The same facility is also available through an App called Suvidha. LG advised that the App should be publicized through police and Revenue Department,” sources said quoting the meeting points. According to Delhi Police data, this year 1,76,890 bottles seized by city police and excise Act cases till March was 1,549.
New Delhi: A 25-year-old female doctor was found dead with her throat slit in Central Delhi’s Ranjit Nagar area on Tuesday.Police said they suspect the role of another doctor, who is also deceased’s neighbour, missing from his room after the incident. Police identified the deceased as Garima Mishra who is the native of Uttar Pradesh and had shifted to a rented accommodation in street number-2 in Ranjeet Nagar area. She was preparing for her Doctor of Medicine (MD) after completing her MBBS. Also Read – Odd-Even: CM seeks transport dept’s views on exemption to women, two wheelers, CNG vehiclesDeputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said that her throat was slit with a sharp object. “We suspect the role of his neighbour who was living in another room,” said DCP Central. He further stated that he is currently questioning the suspect’s roommate who claimed that he did not know about the incident. He works at a hospital in the city. He further said, “Once we catch the suspect, many things will be disclosed. Currently, raids are going on in different areas. The case is being probed from different angles.” Also Read – More good air days in Delhi due to Centre’s steps: JavadekarThe investigating agency is yet to recover the weapon of offence. A case under the appropriate section of IPC registered in Ranjit Nagar police station. Landlord’s son witnessed the horrific scene: Speaking to Millennium Post, landlord’s son Gautam Khurana said that at around 11:20 pm on Tuesday, the deceased’s cousin brother came to the house and told us that Garima is missing. “He was frightened. My mother told me to check the girl. I checked outside she was not there so I went up to the third floor where deceased was living,” said Gautam. He further said,”Cousin told me to broke the lock when I asked why, he said that Garima had to board a bus around 8 pm for her home town and she was not picking the phone.” Before breaking the lock, cousin checked through the window pane and told me that she was lying in the room and the fan was running. The lock was broken. “We saw that there was a pool of blood on the neck of Garima. I informed the police and later ambulance also came,” said Gautam adding that the cops took them to the police station for taking their statements. The deceased’s room was locked from inside. In January suspect and deceased took rooms on rent Gautam further revealed that the suspect was known to her. In January, both of them took separate rooms on rent. “After taking the possession of the room, the girl started living after 15 days. Both of them had worked in a Central Delhi’s hospital. “When we reach the third-floor, suspect’s roommate was available in his room,” said Gautam adding that they saw the suspect leaving the house in the evening. Investigation Police probing different angles in the case including love. It is also being suspected that there is a possibility that deceased might have resisted the attack. After the murder, all the senior officers of the Central district reached the spot and questioned many people to get the further clue in the case.
Meknes- King Mohammed VI launched Saturday in Meknes, the 16th National Solidarity Campaign, a royal initiative that illustrates the commitment of the Sovereign to the promotion of the noble humanitarian, civilizational and religious values of the Kingdom.Under the chairmanship of the King who established, since his accession to the throne, social work as a national priority, this campaign has become an annual event meant to strengthen the Moroccan social fabric. The campaign, held on November 9- 17 by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, under the motto “United to help the poor,” also stems from the will of HM the King to foster the culture of solidarity among all Moroccans, offering them the opportunity to renew their attachment to their civic values by contributing for the benefit of millions of poor people across the Kingdom. The solidarity campaign is designed to raise funds to finance social projects and implement action plans that have steadily evolved over the years to meet the needs of the target populations.On this occasion, the King inaugurated a building trades training center, a project that meets the qualification requirements of youth in the region of Meknes-Tafilalet, and which is in line with the Action Plan of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, which places a special interest in youth training as a the best tool for youth social and professional integration.The Training Centre of Meknes aims to promote youth employability through providing training in building trades and public works, and will be an engine for development and promotion of the construction sector in the region.The center provides training to 1,000 students in the field of electricity, construction, aluminum, plumbing, painting, glazing, facades coating. The center also includes a laboratory of civil engineering, and drawing, computer rooms, as well as workshops for practical masonry, a learning resources area, a trainers’ lounge, and a store.Worth around 19.5 million dirhams, the new facility is jointly funded by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity (5 MDH), the Office of Vocational Training and Job Promotion (8 MDH), the Meknes City Council (2.5 MDH), the National Initiative for Human Development (2.5 MDH), and the Provincial Council (1.5 MDH).After visiting different areas in the new facility, the King handed over support checks of 3,240 million dirhams to 25 associations and co-ops, mainly in the region of Meknes –Tafilalet.
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