Tim Cook takes aim at Facebook’s practices during privacy conference

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Chris Velazco
29 January 2021
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The Canadian Press

Pelosi denounces GOP leaders over Georgia lawmaker’s posts

WASHINGTON — Speaker Nancy Pelosi intensified pressure Thursday on House Republican leaders for their handling of a controversial GOP freshman, denouncing them for placing a lawmaker who Pelosi says has “mocked the killing of little children” on the chamber’s education committee. Pelosi’s comments focused on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., whose views were in the spotlight even before she joined the House this month. Greene supported Facebook posts that advocated violence against Democrats and the FBI. One suggested shooting Pelosi in the head. In response to a post raising the prospect of hanging former President Barack Obama, Greene responded that the “stage is being set.” On Thursday, Pelosi referred to social media posts reported by Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog group, in which Greene pushed conspiracy theories or “liked” posts that challenged the veracity of mass shootings at schools in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida. “Assigning her to the education committee, when she has mocked the killing of little children” at those schools, “what could they be thinking, or is thinking too generous a word for what they might be doing,” Pelosi said of Republican leaders. “It’s absolutely appalling.” While some Republicans have condemned Greene’s postings, they were hardly a surprise. The Georgia Republican has expressed support for QAnon conspiracy theories, which focus on the debunked belief that top Democrats are involved in child sex trafficking, Satan worship and cannibalism. Facebook videos surfaced last year showing she’d expressed racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim views. Top Republicans denounced her at the time, hoping to block her from capturing the GOP nomination for her reliably red congressional district in northwest Georgia. The opposition faded, however, when Greene won the primary and was essentially guaranteed a seat in Congress. By the time she was sworn into office, Greene had ridden with President Donald Trump on Air Force One during his final days in office. Republican leaders are now confronting a conundrum of their own making. The party largely embraced Greene after she won the primary, making it harder for them to distance themselves from her, especially when many of her views were already well known. The dynamic raises questions about the GOP’s ability — or interest — in moving past Trump-style politics after the former president spent years advancing conspiracy theories of his own. “Trump didn’t hijack the party, the party became Donald Trump,” said Stuart Stevens, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, a conservative group that staunchly opposes Trump. “They’re radicals.” CNN reported on Greene’s Facebook posts, which have since been deleted. She tweeted responses before the story was published that didn’t dispute their authenticity or disavow them, saying instead: “Many posts have been liked. Many posts have been shared. Some did not represent my views.” Still, there’s greater pressure on political leaders to address extremism after a pro-Trump mob staged a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez announced Wednesday night that he was readying a resolution to expel Greene from Congress because of her past social media activity. In a statement to Axios, a spokesman for House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy called the posts “deeply disturbing” and said McCarthy “plans to have a conversation with the Congresswoman about them.” It’s unclear when that conversation may happen. McCarthy plans to fly to Florida on Thursday to meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called the posts “disgusting,” adding that they have “no place in our party” and “should be looked into.” But McDaniel also spoke to a QAnon issue that goes beyond Greene. “I think it’s really important, after what’s just happened in our country, that we have some self reflection on the violence that’s continuing to erupt,” McDaniel said in an interview. “I think QAnon is beyond fringe. I think it’s dangerous. We should be looking at that and making sure we don’t mince words and when we say that we can’t support groups that are initiating violence.” On Wednesday night, a reporter from WRCB-TV attempted to ask Greene about her social media posts during a public town hall in Dalton, Georgia. The reporter was kicked out of the event and threatened with arrest by a sheriff’s deputy. The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment and directed questions to Greene’s office. A spokesperson for Greene’s office said in a statement: “This was a town hall for constituents. Not a press conference.” The FBI has called QAnon a domestic terrorism threat and the Department of Homeland Security issued a national terrorism bulletin Wednesday warning of the potential for lingering violence from extremists enraged by President Joe Biden’s election and emboldened by the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Greene’s situation is somewhat reminiscent of former Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who was stripped of all his committee assignments by his own party’s House leadership after expressing support for white supremacists in 2019. National GOP groups shunned King in the party’s Iowa primary and he was defeated, but he steadfastly maintained that he was adhering to his constituents’ beliefs more than most of the rest of his party. Greene’s online agitation goes beyond past Facebook posts — including making a video that falsely suggested the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting that killed 58 people was staged to advance gun control legislation. Since winning her congressional seat, Greene has sought to capitalize on her growing national notoriety with conservatives, spending more than $206,000 to lure in new donors through Parler, a social media site favoured by Trump supporters and right-wing extremists. The site was effectively booted from the internet following the mayhem at the Capitol after Amazon, which hosted the site, decided Parler wasn’t doing enough to police users who incited violence. Before its removal, Greene’s spending super-charged her presence on Parler, with some of her posts reaching millions of users, according to an analysis of data by The Associated Press. She frequently attacked Democrats and railed against coronavirus pandemic safety measures, like mask-wearing. Greene also called on Congress to overturn the results of Biden’s election. “I’m tired of seeing weak-kneed Republicans play defence. I will go on the attack,” Greene said in a Nov. 18 post. “It’s our 1776 moment!” she posted the day before the mob overran the Capitol. “You have members of Congress who do not feel safe at work right now because of the violent attempted coup,” said Melissa Ryan, CEO of consultancy group Card Strategies, which researches online disinformation and right-wing extremism. “And then you have politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene who are not just stoking the fear, but using it as a fundraising tool.” Greene is now texting supporters, seeking to raise money for her attempt to “impeach Biden.” The fine print of her solicitations, however, shows that any funds she takes in will instead be routed to her campaign account. ___ Associated Press writers Steve Peoples, Jill Colvin and Ben Nadler and data journalist Larry Fenn contributed to this report. Will Weissert And Brian Slodysko, The Associated Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Tay Legions denied concession on water bills

Tay council decided to avoid the slippery slope of giving every business a concession by denying a water bill relief request by local Legions. The request was sent in via letter by Jim Pearson, president of Royal Canadian Legion Br. 523 – Victoria Harbour, who asked council to consider providing temporary relief to all three legions in the form of reduction in water/sewage bills. “We pay $116 per month,” he said, in an interview later with MidlandToday. “And there’s nobody in the branch. I have no problem paying some money but I would like to pay based on our usage. March to Nov. 2019 was $1,595, and $1,045 from March to Nov. 2020. “Financially, we are fine,” added Pearson, who was not present at the council committee meeting. “It’s just that we’re looking to reduce our cost. We won’t be open regularly until late next fall.” Council, however, wasn’t sure how it could support the non-profit beyond the $1,000 it had already approved from its community grants program in December. Pearson told MidlandToday he still hasn’t received the money. Deputy Mayor Gerard LaChapelle said it was a tough one for council. “What path does this take for all the other businesses that are suffering?” he said. Coun. Barry Norris agreed. “If we give relief to just strictly the three legions, we have to give relief to everybody,” he said. Coun. Sandy Talbot pointed out that Legions had recently received money from the government. “I’m not sure which legions were recipients,” she said, adding, “They did get some money recently. I do agree that it’s a slippery slope.” When asked that question, Pearson explained to MidlandToday that his Legion branch received $10,845 in government funding, which has helped. “I’m reducing all of our costs, whether it’s our phone or hydro bills or plowing our parking lot,” he said. “I have had success reducing others. I don’t mind paying something, but we’re not even using anything (right now).” At the meeting, Mayor Ted Walker said he recognizes the important role Legions play in the community. “The problem is that this is a user-pay system (water services),” he said. “I thought we were fairly generous in what we’d done before.” Walker said it might be an idea for staff to look into what, if any, leeway could be given to the Legions around a delay in payment. Coun. Jeff Bumstead said he agreed with that approach. “I think that’s how it should be dealt with,” he said. Whether council does that or not, Pearson said it was worth a try to put the request to council. “It would have been nice of them to consider the request,” he said. “I might go after them again later in the year, depending on how long we have to stay shut.” Mehreen Shahid, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, OrilliaMatters.com
Initiative de journalisme local

Les paramédics maintiennent leurs revendications

En dépit des revendications faites dans les dernières semaines, le Syndicat des Paramédics Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean-Nord (FSSS-CSN) se bute à nouveau à une fin de non-recevoir au sujet du maintien de la rémunération en cas d’isolement préventif ou dans l’attente d’un résultat de test de la COVID-19. Les employeurs concernés sont les Paramédics d’Ambulance SLN, Médilac et Médinord. Selon Jean-Denis Tremblay, président du syndicat, les demandes faites ne se limitent pas à une question d’argent ou de conservation des banques de congés, mais concernent une question de santé publique. « Il s’agit plutôt d’une question de risque de contagion que nous représentons versus la santé de tous nos concitoyens », affirme M. Tremblay. Depuis le début de la pandémie, entre 25 et 30 ambulanciers ont été touchés par des symptômes ou un diagnostic positif à la COVID-19, nécessitant le retrait de leur milieu de travail et l’utilisation de leur banque de congés. À la lumière des démarches effectuées jusqu’à maintenant, le syndicat affirme que le CIUSSS reconnaît les risques encourus sur le terrain et que les paramédics peuvent être des vecteurs de transmission de la COVID-19 auprès des résidences pour personnes âgées, CHSLD, immunosupprimés et de la population en général. Malgré tout, le CIUSSS affirme ne pas pouvoir intervenir parce que les employeurs sont des entreprises privées. Pour ce qui est de l’approche auprès de la Corporation des services d’ambulance du Québec, à qui il a été demandé d’intervenir auprès des employeurs cités plus haut, Jean-Denis Tremblay précise qu’il s’agit des seuls membres de l’association patronale qui ne rémunèrent pas les travailleurs tout en reconnaissant que des arrangements sont intervenus pour compenser avec une bonification de la Prestation canadienne de maladie pour la relance de l’économie (PCMRE). Selon M. Tremblay, ces employeurs ont balayé du revers de la main cette option, préférant leurs profits au détriment de la santé de leurs travailleurs et de la population. En ce qui a trait à la réponse gouvernementale obtenue cette semaine, Québec se dit informé de la situation, mais soutient ne pas pouvoir s’ingérer dans un conflit privé. Le syndicat rappelle que les entreprises ambulancières sont liées par des contrats à budget avec le gouvernement prévoyant une marge de profit et qu’il paie pour tout ce qui a trait aux dépenses supplémentaires liées à la COVID-19. Malgré ces refus, le syndicat maintient sa position visant à inclure les paramédics dans le décret de la santé. Il conclut que ce sont les impôts des citoyens à qui les paramédics transmettront la COVID-19 qui financent les contrats à budget des firmes. Interrogé sur les recours qui restent au syndicat dans ses démarches, Jean-Denis Tremblay affirme que ses membres ont voulu augmenter leur protection sanitaire en portant le masque N-95. « Très rapidement les employeurs ont voulu recourir à des injonctions au Tribunal administratif du travail afin que l’on cesse de porter ces masques en argumentant qu’ils allaient manquer de masques », déclare M. Tremblay. Le représentant syndical compte sur la pression publique et l’appui de ses membres pour faire avancer le dossier.Denis Villeneuve, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Quotidien
Initiative de journalisme local

Brunelle-Duceppe appelle à la vigilance

Plusieurs citoyens commencent à recevoir des Relevés 1 et des T4 qui sont à leur nom, mais qui comportent des montants jamais demandés ni reçus. Le député Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe met en garde la population. « On a de plus en plus de dossiers au bureau qui s’accumulent. Ça commence à être alarmant », signale Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe. La Prestation canadienne d’urgence (PCU) et les aides gouvernementales fédérales lors de la pandémie ont visiblement quelques failles, car les députés fédéraux commencent être inondés d’appels de citoyens disant avoir été fraudés. « On s’inquiétait de ce qui allait s’en venir et effectivement, c’est ce qui est en train de se produire. Il y a des cas de fraude et de vol d’identité. Certains fraudeurs ont réclamé la PCU à travers l’identité de citoyens. Ça cause de gros problèmes », avance-t-il. Selon le député de Lac-Saint-Jean, il est possible de deux manières de vérifier si une fraude a eu lieu. Soit par la poste, en recevant un Relevé 1 ou un T4 qui affiche leur nom, mais dont les montants n’ont pas été demandés, ou encore via Mon Dossier auprès de Services Canada. Lorsqu’une fraude concernant l’Agence du Revenu du Canada (ARC) est confirmée, il est nécessaire de contacter la police. Une fois que la plainte est formulée, il faut contacter l’ARC et fournir le numéro du dossier de plainte, le nom du policier et son numéro de téléphone. Si la fraude concerne l’Assurance-emploi, c’est le bureau du député – dans ce cas-ci, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe –, qui le prend en charge. Cas de mineurs Le député est particulièrement choqué de constater que des jeunes soient eux aussi visés par des vols d’identité. « J’appelle à la diligence des parents, car on a des cas de mineurs au bureau. Lorsqu’ils se font frauder, parfois c’est eux qui doivent appeler à l’ARC, parfois c’est le parent en charge dans Mon Dossier. C’est important de vérifier à l’avance, sinon tu passes trois heures en attente au téléphone pour te faire dire que c’est l’autre parent qui doit appeler », explique-t-il. Situation inacceptable « Comment ça peut être aussi facile de frauder? Comment ça se fait qu’il n’y ait pas eu de pare-feu mis en place. C’est juste le début. Au bureau, on le sent, les cas rentrent. Les autres députés aussi sont confrontés à la même situation. Ça va prendre plus de ressources au niveau de l’ARC. Un moment donné, c’est bien beau distribuer des bonbons un peu partout, mais il faudrait que le gouvernement mette l’argent aux bonnes places », conclut-il.Julien B. Gauthier, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Lac St-Jean
The Canadian Press

Man who pushed 73yo in front of subway train told cops he ‘freaked out’ over eviction

Court is hearing a Toronto man who pushed another man in front of a moving subway train told police he did so because he believed it was his landlord. An agreed statement of facts read in virtual court today says John Reszetnik told a police officer he “freaked out” because he was getting evicted. It says Reszentnik also repeatedly told the officer that he had committed murder, and made similar statements to a firefighter. The document says he made the comments shortly after the June 2018 incident that killed 73-year-old Yosuke Hayahara. Reszetnik pleaded guilty earlier this month to second-degree murder in connection with the incident. Second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 to 25 years. A sentencing hearing will be held March 23. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2021. The Canadian Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Tottenham family fights for drugs to help brothers with cystic fibrosis

Tottenham family fights for drugs to help brothers with cystic fibrosis By Brian Lockhart For brothers, Andre and Joshua Larocque of Tottenham, access to new drugs could provide a huge change in the way they live their lives. Both Andre, 10, and Joshua, 8, have cystic fibrosis, a serious genetic condition that causes damage to the lungs and other organs. There are new drugs available that have produced tremendous results for some people suffering from the disorder, however getting access to these new drugs can be difficult. While Andre has had success with a new drug he has been taking – he has be part of a drug trial for two years – Joshua is hoping to receive a drug called Orkambi which could greatly improve his condition. Orkambi has been approved in Canada however, getting the drug here is a different story. The provincial government is still negotiating with the drug manufacturer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, over the cost to bring the drug into Canada. Not all drugs work for all cystic fibrosis patients. Rather, some drugs will work well with some patients based on the type of condition they have. Orkambi can be used to treat around 50 per cent of people with the condition. In Joshua’s case, Orkambi could be a life changer. Over 20 countries have already approved Orkambi and are using it to help those suffering with cystic fibrosis. “It (Orkambi) has been approved in the States and it has been approved by Health Canada,” explained the boy’s mom, Sasha Haughian. “All our government has to do now is negotiate a price for this drug.” Ms. Haughian and other CF supporters have been trying to put pressure on the government to get this deal done. “Even to get our province and health minsters to want to negotiate for this drug has been a painful process,” Ms. Haughian said. “At first they just said ‘no.’ We advocated and advocated and they finally said ‘okay we’re going to negotiate for this drug.’ Now they’ve been in negotiations for several months and nothing has happened and still nobody can access this drug. When we reach out to the health minister they just give us these generic responses.” Ms. Haughian said these drugs can correct the ‘disfunctional gene at the cellular level.’ While previous drugs can treat the symptoms of cystic fibrosis, the new drugs can target cellular defects so they never start. The government has said they will fund the drug for some patients, but the must meet a certain criteria which Ms. Haughian said is very frustrating. “The said they will fund it for patients if they drop 20 per cent of their lung function within a six month period. Basically you would have to be really really sick to qualify for funding. I compare it to waiting for a person to go on a ventilator before you give them the COVID vaccine or waiting for a person to reach stage 4 cancer before you treat them with chemo. Especially when these drugs are made to prevent this in the first place.” Ms. Haughian and her husband have met with Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliot, who was sympathetic to their cause and others with cystic fibrosis in the province, however, so far there has been no change in status of getting the drug to patients. She compared the struggle to people waiting for the drug to those waiting for the COVID vaccine – with one difference. “Just like the COVID-19 vaccine, people are waiting for the vaccine – we’re waiting for this pill. The only difference is Orkambi has been available since 2016.” Brian Lockhart, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Tecumseth Times
Reuters

Cryptocurrency crime drops in 2020 but ‘DeFi’ breaches rise, study finds

Losses from cryptocurrency theft, hacks, and fraud fell 57% last year to $1.9 billion, as market participants boosted security systems, but crime in the ‘decentralized finance’ space continued to grow, a report from crypto intelligence company CipherTrace showed. Criminals got away with a record $4.5 billion in 2019 in the crypto market. Half of all thefts, or about $129 million, were hacks tied to decentralized finance (DeFi), which are transactions on platforms that facilitate lending outside of banks.
CBC

No remedy in sight for Wood Buffalo homeowners plagued by sliding hill

A sliding hill near Fort McMurray has plagued 10 homeowners for years and residents are becoming less hopeful the municipality will help in their plight. Ten hillside residents in Draper, a community 12 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray, have struggled with the unstable hill for over decade. They say it threatens their property, with at least two homeowners moving out because of safety concerns. Gene Hunt left in October 2020. He paid $17,000 for an engineering report to see what needed to be done to make the hill safe. The report indicated it would cost hundreds of thousands to stabilize the hill, and it still wouldn’t be enough to make it safe. Administration presented to Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council on Tuesday, indicating plans to monitor the hill instability. But no further plans for buyouts or mitigation were presented. The municipality says it’s not liable for home or infrastructure damage because of the hill. Hunt said he expects “absolutely nothing” to come out of the monitoring. “I think the municipality pretty much told us … there’s nothing they’re going to be doing for the Draper residents on the hill.” At Tuesday’s council meeting, Brad McMurdo, director of planning and development, said the municipality hired Stantec to investigate the ability to deliver rural water and sewer to the community. McMurdo said homeowners caused some of the hill instability. “Observations from an analysis identified that all properties removed trees well beyond the limits of construction. Driveways were constructed leading to other parts of the property.” As well, the mitigation measures homeowners have taken, like retaining walls, have failed or are showing signs of failure. Some of the efforts include lock blocks, which add weight and pressure to the hill, McMurdo said. “They are simply delaying the failure that’s occurring,” he said. The municipality has previously done three geotechnical reports on the hill in 1999, 2007, and 2020. After the April 2020 flood, council considered buying out the homes, but ultimately voted against it. Mayor Don Scott consulted the municipality’s legal team, asking if it’s unusual to buy out properties. “Municipal councils have great scope to do things that they wish to do, but it would be unusual for a municipality to step in in these kind of circumstances,” said Chris Davis, director of legal services for the municipality. Coun. Keith McGrath said if the municipality took responsibility for every slope that was slipping in the community “we might as well shut ‘er down and move on.” “Slopes in Alberta are a problem,” said McGrath. “We couldn’t take ownership of every slope.” McGrath said there’s been a sense that the municipality will “be in there to correct some of the landscapes and I don’t think that’s possible.” Coun. Sheila Lalonde said she’s still working on bringing forward a motion to help residents. “If nothing else, we should be helping mitigate,” she said. Lalonde has visited some of the properties. “I can’t even imagine having the ground … near my house falling down,” said Lalonde. “It’s so terrifying and so frustrating because … they have, right now, very few options.” But Lalonde said the residents are “not forgotten.” Susan Smith, whose garage detached from her home because of the sliding land, said she’ll be lucky to keep living in her home past the spring. “They’re going to keep pushing people so far into financial ruin that they’re not going to have to buy us out. People are just going to start walking away from their homes,” she said. Smith said she isn’t deterred by the recent council presentation, and she’s going to continue to ask the municipality for assistance. She is also suing the municipality over the issue. The state of Smith’s home is deteriorating rapidly. She said the shipping container holding the home’s water needs to be dug out every week because it’s sinking into the ground. “I think I’m in a state of anger 24/7 at how poorly this has been handled.” The municipality will start monitoring the slope this Spring.
Local Journalism Initiative

Momentum gradually builds for Fraser Place redevelopment

A plan to create more Hay River homes moved forward on Monday as town councillors passed a motion to start the process of rezoning land for the project. The Fraser Place subdivision will create 29 units, seen as necessary by town staff as they project a population boom in the years to come. A public consultation is still to come before plans are finalized. “The town has invested planning and preliminary design work into Fraser Place. The rezoning is the next step in preparing the land for subdivision, detailed design, legal survey, and sale,” council documents state. The proposed development has faced some criticism. Last year, a petition submitted to council urged councillors to consider other locations for expansion as the development would ruin a wooded area. Since the rezoning process involves an amendment to the town’s land use bylaws, it must go through three readings at town council before it is passed. The process will redesignate some plots of land as residential to allow the building of houses, while rezoning some areas as parks and open space. A playground is included in the plan. The exact location remains to be finalized in consultation with residents. The town said it was trying to leave an existing trail system intact. Hay River has previously stated it expects to encounter a population boom of around 2,500 people in the coming years, with various job-creating projects poised to start. A wood pellet mill is being created in Enterprise, the Pine Point mine may reopen, and a new fish plant is to be built. Hay River’s senior administrative officer, Glenn Smith, said a finance and sales presentation will be given to councillors in the next month. A public hearing will follow. Mayor Kandis Jameson said she would ensure residents had the opportunity to provide feedback. “I made a commitment, personally, when we had people come to council … with their concerns that there would be full a consultation process,” Jameson said. “We will be going out to the residents of this community to ensure that everybody’s aware of what this is going to look like and what the impact is on the area.” If the project moves ahead, construction at Fraser Place could begin before the end of 2021. Sarah Sibley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio
The Canadian Press

With virus in rearview, campaign for Catalan vote kicks off

MADRID — Political parties in Spain’s Catalonia region are scheduled to start campaigning Thursday for an election set to be held in two weeks amid uncertainty due to vote fragmentation and a persistently high coronavirus infection rate. The northeastern region loosened a ban on travelling between municipalities to allow for political rallies with reduced attendance and mask-wearing and social distancing requirements. The election taking place as scheduled on Feb. 14 is not 100% certain. Catalonia’s High Court needs to confirm its preliminary decision earlier this month to overturn a regional government order to delay the vote for nearly three months due to health concerns. Like the rest of Spain, Catalonia is grappling to contain a sharp increase of COVID-19 patients amid a vaccination rollout slowed down by hiccups in the supply of shots. Although growth in the infection rate seems to be stabilizing, experts are worried about the potential impact of new virus variants with hospitals already operating at their limits. Catalonia’s ruling coalition, which supports the region’s secession from Spain, granted prison privileges Thursday to eight politicians and activists who are serving terms ranging from nine 9 to 13 years for their roles in a failed 2017 push for Catalan independence. The regional government’s move will allow some of them to campaign for their parties during the day before returning to prison to spend the night. Two months ago, Spain’s Supreme Court overturned the granting of similar privileges as “premature,” A half-dozen political parties, divided along the lines of left and right, but also between support or opposition for the region’s independence, are competing for 135 seats in the regional parliament. Several spin-offs in the ranks of Catalan separatist parties and the emergence of the far-right on the side of remaining in Spain are likely to complicate efforts to form a governing coalition after the vote. Salvador Illa, who until this week was Spain’s health minister in charge of the response to the coronavirus pandemic, is seen as the frontrunner to become Catalonia’s next regional president. He is with Catalonia’s Socialist Party, which has not been in power in the region since 2006. Official polls show strong support for Laura Borràs and Pere Aragonès, who represent respectively the pro-independence Together for Catalonia and Republican Left parties that are currently part of the region’s ruling coalition. Aritz Parra, The Associated Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Mapping tool tracks ‘very aggressive’ wild pigs

Ray Beck has seen the damage wild pigs can do when left unchecked. Beck, a roughly 20-year rural municipality pest control veteran, says he’s seen wild boars ruin a nine-hole golf course “basically overnight” on a visit to Texas. In the five southern Saskatchewan rural municipalities he serves, he’s managed to mostly eliminate the problem, he says — largely with a rifle. “It is incredible, the power of their noses.” University of Saskatchewan professor Ryan Brook has developed a mapping tool that may help people like Beck. The tool, which is compatible with Google Earth, uses 296 rural municipalities to track wild pigs across the province. Brook said anyone interested can download the maps on the Canadian Wild Pig Research Project Facebook page. The data includes resident reports, photos from trail cameras, and tracking collars to project wild pig concentration. He says the mapping tool may have a wide range of uses. Hunters can also use it to inform where they track pigs, while hikers can use it to plan routes. If farmers and ranchers are concerned about damage to their property, they can zoom in on their community and surrounding area to see the risk. That gives them a chance to take preventative measures like putting up fencing. Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Todd Lewis said a tracking tool should help farmers keep up to date on the risks wild pigs pose to their properties. “They’re very invasive, and can really cause a lot of problems both to crops … also they’re just terrible with livestock,” Lewis said. “Very aggressive animals. It’s a real problem, if you do have them.” Brook said that’s because the animals root through fields with their snouts, shredding farm land. Because of their destructiveness and capacity to spread disease, they’re considered one of the worst invasive mammals facing the province. Brook said the animals were brought to Saskatchewan in the 1980s and ’90s, but they escaped from their fencing and spread rapidly. They have roughly six piglets per litter and multiple litters per year, and have home ranges of about 300 square kilometres or more, Brook added. He said they’re nearly impossible to eradicate in some parts of the province, but the tracking tool may help inform residents of any risk. While he’s unsure how many there are in the province, he said they’re spreading quickly. “We are on track toward having more wild pigs than people.” Nick Pearce, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The StarPhoenix
Initiative de journalisme local

Plusieurs entreprises familiales sans plan pour leur relève

Seulement un peu plus du quart des entreprises familiales à travers le Québec disposent d’un plan établi pour assurer leur relève, selon une étude de HEC Montréal. Une situation à laquelle n’échappe pas le Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Passer le flambeau à la génération suivante demeure pourtant l’une des priorités des entreprises familiales québécoises, d’après une étude réalisée par le centre Famille en affaires de HEC Montréal, à laquelle ont participé 443 entreprises issues de toutes les régions du Québec. Selon l’enquête statistique publiée jeudi, cet enjeu représente un « objectif prioritaire » pour 63 % des entreprises familiales. Toutefois, seulement 27 % s’y préparent de manière formelle, tandis que 30 % d’entre elles affirment avoir un plan informel. « Pour nous, c’est une statistique qui marque l’imaginaire et qui prouve qu’on a encore du travail de sensibilisation et du travail d’accompagnement pour aider ces entreprises-là à se mettre en action », constate Annie Veilleux, directrice de Familles en affaires, en soulevant que les deux tiers des entreprises sont des entreprises familiales au Québec. Outre l’accompagnement légal, fiscal et comptable que nécessite la planification d’un transfert d’entreprise, l’enjeu est avant tout émotif pour les dirigeants familiaux, selon les chercheurs et praticiens qui ont interprété les résultats de l’étude menée par le centre soutenu financièrement par les familles Molson, Lesage et Deschênes. Un effet démobilisateur sur la relève Valérie Gilbert, directrice développement organisationnel au sein du Groupe Gilbert, une entreprise de Chicoutimi liée à Famille en affaires, constate la même situation au sein de son réseau de contacts au Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. L’absence d’un plan commun établi par les dirigeants familiaux peut mettre une importante pression sur les épaules de la relève. « Sans le préparer, sans le communiquer, ils transfèrent cette pression-là à leur relève. Je pense que dans certains cas, ça peut même avoir un effet démobilisateur », partage celle qui est également ambassadrice du chapitre régional du groupe « La Relève en famille, en affaires » et dont HEC Montréal est partenaire. Il n’a d’ailleurs pas été possible de savoir combien d’entreprises régionales ont pris part à l’étude de Familles en affaires. L’absence d’un plan clair a également un impact sur la dynamique familiale, constate l’ambassadrice du groupe de réseautage qui rassemble une dizaine de membres. « Cela fait que ça incombe au successeur de créer son propre plan pour passer à l’action. Parce que souvent, on se retrouve dans une position où le cédant, de par les enjeux émotifs que ça peut générer, ne l’abordera pas, et là il y a un sentiment d’inaction de la part du parent. » La dirigeante âgée de 38 ans traverse elle-même cette période de transfert au sein de l’entreprise familiale fondée il y a plus de 60 ans, de pair avec d’autres membres de sa famille. « On y travaille ! », lance-t-elle en riant, en soulignant le temps nécessaire pour compléter un tel processus. Le Groupe Gilbert, qui emploie environ 800 personnes, rassemble aujourd’hui 10 entreprises dans les secteurs du génie civil et minier, du transport et de la logistique ainsi que de l’environnement. La propriété du groupe est partagée entre cousins. Valérie Gilbert insiste en outre sur l’importance pour les entreprises familiales, et pour l’économie québécoise, de se doter d’un plan de transfert bien avant la concrétisation de cette étape. « Il n’est jamais trop tôt pour y penser, souligne-t-elle. Le plan, souvent, est fait de manière formelle un peu trop tard, ce qui nous place souvent dans un sentiment urgent d’agir. » + UN GRAND PORTRAIT DES ENJEUX Les résultats de l’enquête de Famille en affaires, nommée Album de famille, représentent le premier grand portrait brossé au Québec sur les entreprises familiales québécoises et leurs enjeux, indique la directrice du centre, Annie Veilleux. La parité, la succession, la gouvernance et les impacts de la crise sanitaire font notamment partie des enjeux abordés dans cette enquête menée en 2019 et 2020 et qui est destinée à être bisannuelle. L’étude révèle notamment une tendance à la féminisation des dirigeants chez les jeunes générations. Les résultats démontrent également que malgré les difficultés causées par la crise sanitaire, 70 % des dirigeants affirmaient en avril dernier être confiants de voir leur entreprise traverser la crise. Malgré cette résilience des dirigeants attribuée notamment à la solidarité au sein des entreprises familiales, les enjeux de santé mentale sont bien présents chez les gestionnaires, qui ont été 11,1 % à affirmer à ce moment ne pas avoir une bonne santé mentale.Myriam Gauthier, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Quotidien
Local Journalism Initiative

Chasing ghosts: The lost town of Ballycroy

A town where a quick fist and liquid courage provided nightly entertainment While thousands of commuters pass through the intersection of Highways 9 and 50 every day, few realize that on top of the hill on the northwest corner of the crossroads was once a thriving little town with a colourful cast of wild-west type characters and a rather dark history if you look deep enough past the written archives. It was called Ballycroy – named after the hometown in Ireland of the original settlers who found it a good place to start a mill in the 1820’s. After a good run of around 55 years, the town was, for the most part, abandoned. The main street is now overgrown and mature trees stand where businesses one thrived. If you know where to look you can find remnants of where some of the buildings once stood, but for the most part, Ballycroy only exists as a footnote in Ontario history. The only original building still standing and occupied is the general store and post office along with a barn on the property. It was a thriving business in its day with a second floor meeting and dance hall and a main house that also served as a hotel. Business prospered and as more people moved into the town it became a bustling little community. By 1870, there was two churches, two general stores, a mill and complimentary businesses, a millinery shop, post office, doctor, veterinarian, and a blacksmith. It had all the trades and skills you needed to keep a town running. There was also a small race track and a fairgrounds, but most notably there were four hotels and a liquor store – a lot of alcohol for a town of 200 people. The thing about Ballycroy that stirred up resentment among its residents, was that most, if not all, of its residents were Irish. That in itself was typical of early 18th century immigrants to Ontario, but when you have a town that is filled with Irish of the Catholic faith and throw in a bunch of the Protestant faith, well in those days it could spell trouble – and it did. The fact that the Protestant side decided to build an Orange Lodge in the middle of town did little to heal any local bad feelings that might have already brewed among the local populace. The Fehely Hotel was one of the more notorious establishments in town. It was more of a flophouse than hotel as it contained a second floor single room where imbibers could sleep off the effects of a night of drinking rather than try to stagger their way home on a freezing winter night. The current landowner had to tear the old place down several years ago when it just got to the point of being beyond repair. “It wasn’t much of a hotel,” he said. “It was a saloon.” You could see the years of wear on the floor boards of the hotel except for one long stretch at the end of the room that still had the original finish – and that was were the bar had been. On nights when the Orange Lodge held their meetings, the Lodge members would make the trek as a group for security reasons. The Fehely patrons would keep an eye out for any stragglers and if you were unlucky enough to be caught alone on the street and of the wrong religious affiliation, you’d better be prepared to use your fists. There were several legendary brawls on the streets of Ballycroy, no doubt fueled by the hooch served in the hotels. The other main hotel in town was the Small Hotel, owned by proprietor Peter Small. It was more of an upscale establishment known for its fine dining and liquor, and the famous ‘January Ball’ that attracted people from as far away as Toronto for a mid winter soiree. Mr. Small also operated the race track that featured betting and horse trading. Tragedy struck on April 29, 1875 when the Small Hotel caught fire and burned to the ground along with a couple of nearby out-buildings. Mr. Small and his family escaped the flames but three young women who worked as milliners in the hotel perished in the flames and are buried in the cemetery at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Colgan. You would think one fire is bad luck, but two fires within a couple of months might make you more than a little nervous when you blew out the candles and went to bed. When the hotel was destroyed, Mr. Small and his family moved to another building on the property. That building also went up in flames two months later with the family again making a narrow escape. The family remained in Ballycroy until 1879, when Peter finally decided it was best to leave town while they were all still healthy. They moved to Toronto where Small operated another hotel before becoming a Divisional Court Bailiff later on. A third fire in 1878 at the Beamish hotel was no accident as it was discovered that it was set with some kind of incendiary device. Although the blaze was extinguished before it could cause major damage, owner Richard Beamish figured it would be best to sell and get out of town before an arsonist had a second chance. When fire destroyed Ballycroy’s Small Hotel and several other buildings in April of 1875, it also destroyed much of the heart of the small but bustling frontier town. The cause of the fire was never determined but arson was considered, especially given that local entrepreneurs were known to be protective of their competing businesses. When it was discovered that Peter Small held $21,000 in mortgages on the hotel – a huge sum of money at the time – the rumour mill went into overtime. Mr. Small finally decided to leave town two years later, never to return. Local stories still pass on the tragedy of the three girls who perished in the hotel fire. They were milliners – hat makers – who lived on top of Peter Small’s hotel. Except that they were hardly girls. Mary Fanning was 32 years old, Bridget Burke 28, and Margaret Daly the youngest at 24. You have to read between the lines of this story for a more historical take on this tale. In the 1870s, most pioneer women were already married and had children by age 20. Mary, at 32, would have been considered an old spinster in her time. Why a town of only 200 people required three hat makers, all living above a hotel, leaves open a few other questions – but those answers are lost in time. The three women were buried in St. James cemetery in Colgan with the grave marker easily located behind the church. Not everyone in Ballycroy had a rough and tumble time making a living. In fact, many businesses prospered. Businessman John McClelland opened a successful general store and ran the post office and apparently got along with all of his neighbours regardless of religious affiliation. His large home featured an upstairs dance hall and meeting room and also doubled as a hotel. It is the only standing building left of the town and is easily identified by its large frontier style facade. Mr. McClelland’s son eventually took over the store and over the next 100 years it was bought and sold many times. When the railways of the 19th century started connecting the nation in a way that was never before possible, the decision was made to run the line being built between Hamilton and Allandale south past Ballycroy to Palgrave. That decision forced many businesses to leave Ballycroy to take advantage of the opportunities the opening of the railway offered. From there, the town slowly disappeared. The Orange Lodge was finally declared dormant in 1943, and the post office closed in1951. All that is left of the main street is an overgrown path that slopes gently down through a wooded area and a single sign with the town’s name that lets visitors know that this place once existed. Brian Lockhart, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Tecumseth Times
Local Journalism Initiative

AME’s remote round up wraps-up

A mineral exploration organization recently hosted the first ever virtual gathering for mining leaders and members of Indigenous communities to come together. Hosted on the lands of the Coastal Salish peoples, the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) facilitated the ninth annual “Gathering Place” session remotely at this year’s round up event. The conversations and panels held by subject-matter-experts from the event covered a wide range of topics with an emphasis on building trust with one another, including: growth for the Indigenous economy, shared experiences of the global COVID-19 pandemic, reconciliation for the mining industry and communicating effectively with a world that has increasingly adopted new technologies. Nupqu Resources president Aaron Higgs and Canada North Environmental Services general manager Peter Vanriel discussed the mutual benefits of the mining industry partnering with Indigenous communities. Nupqu Resources is a natural resource management consulting and contracting business owned by the Ktunaxa Nation communities in southeastern B.C. “Our focus in the last few years has certainly been on trying to create a business that is independent of politics, so we can really focus on providing the most economic opportunities of value to our Ktunaxa owners and citizens,” said Higgs, who is located on the Aq’am reserve near Cranbrook. Nupqu started in the ’80s in the forestry sector but later expanded to fields that expand to mining, which stems from a partnership between Teck and the Ktunaxa in 2016. “We saw additional inclusion in the mining sector, probably in 2012,” explained Higgs, noting there have been several opportunities for stakeholders to work in the Elk Valley. In addition, Nisga’a Lisims Government secretary treasurer Charles Morven and Dolly Varden Silver’s chief geologist Rob Van Egmond exchanged thoughts about working together while coping with the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic. AME Roundup attracts more than 6,000 people from over 49 countries to represent mineral exploration industry through academics, prospectors, geologists, investors and suppliers. Delegates had the opportunity to learn about more than 100 projects and prospects located in 15 countries, spanning across six continents. Sabina Gold and Silver community liaison officer John Kaiyogana discussed the importance of reconciliation in the Canadian workforce’s mining industry. Kaiyogana is based in Cambridge Bay near Victoria Island in Nunavut, with roughly 1800 people in the region. He works directly with Inuit, Métis and First Nations communities in Cambridge Bay. However, the Sabina Gold and Silver team says the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted effective communication with Inuit communities in the region due to the limitations of access to the internet and the quality of bandwidth in the area. “On the reconciliation, our Inuit born people that are voted into our organizations are seeing a lot more than one partnership with other businesses in the field that they would like to be in. More education and more mining companies coming to us instead of us going to the south where people are not used to going to,” Kaiyogana said about building relationships in the territories during the panel with his peers. Kaiyogana added it would be beneficial to see more mining companies come to the Inuit communities in the region to seek consultation and to provide training opportunities for young people from the area, so that the community is not required to relocate to other regions in pursuit of career development. He explained that the limitation of living in Cambridge Bay often results in limited job opportunities in government or in the mining sector. He felt it would be beneficial to see other businesses building partnerships with the community and providing training to young people from the area. Kaiyogana hoped to see more local hires and training for the community. “I wouldn’t mind seeing more of our people getting more education and more training before we get these projects up and running in our own lands,” concluded Kaiyogana. Breanne Massey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Columbia Valley Pioneer
CBC

‘We’re all low income, but we’re not 3rd-class citizens’: Housing tenants wait week for heat, hot water

After a week without heat or hot water, Tina Hann says she’s questioning her status in society. “I’ve been very concerned, very stressed out,” Hann, a resident of public housing, said Tuesday. At the time Hann spoke to CBC News about her predicament, she said her family and neighbours had been huddled around space heaters for a week, boiling water for dishes and bathing. She said communication from the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation was minimal, and she would have appreciated, if not a quicker fix, then at least more contact about the issue. “Yes, we’re all low income, but we’re not third-class citizens,” Hann said. “We have rights. We have families. We have a right to safe and adequate housing.” NLHC told CBC News in a statement Tuesday afternoon that it had repaired the furnace heating 11 units in Buckmaster’s Circle and restored heat to the affected homes. The housing authority said it immediately ordered parts for its broken furnace as soon as it was notified of the outage on Jan. 19. Officials knocked on doors to notify the tenants, sending an electrician to install three space heaters in each unit. “Tenants were advised if there were any issues or concerns to contact staff. NLHC staff stayed in touch regularly with tenants during the week to keep them apprised of the situation,” the statement said. The NLHC later said it had, in fact, been advised by its contractor that the parts would take a week to arrive. It formally apologized to the tenants and said NLHC would reimburse any additional costs. “Normal corporate protocols should have ensured access to alternate temporary accommodations until the furnace unit was repaired,” the corporation said in a statement Wednesday. ‘Lack of respect’ NDP candidate Jim Dinn, canvassing in the neighbourhood Tuesday, said a teacher had contacted him, worried that students were missing class because they couldn’t shower or wash their clothes. Dinn said residents should have been offered more than space heaters, which he said are “fine for spring, maybe summer, the fall.” “But as you can see, in wintertime it’s just an unacceptable solution. I think something else could have been done.” An offer for temporary housing in an extended stay hotel, he said, “should have been an option from the get-go,” and added NLHC’s response to the outage only added to a list of maintenance delay grievances he’s heard from residents. “I think it says a little bit about … a lack of respect for their dignity,” he said. “It’s about looking after the people that live here. It’s about investing in them, and I can tell you that’s one area where government is lacking.” Hann, who’s been living in her unit for seven years, said when the heat went out last week, nerves spiked. “There was a storm looming, people were pretty scared.… Most of these houses have children in them,” she said. A housing officer came around, and “basically told us ‘if you have a place to stay, go stay there.'” NLHC said it’s reviewing its internal processes “to ensure these protocols are appropriately followed in future.” Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
Reuters

Facebook oversight board overrules company on most cases in first test

Deciding its first-ever cases, Facebook Inc’s oversight board ruled on Thursday that the social media company was wrong to remove four of five pieces of content the board reviewed, including posts Facebook took down for violating rules on hate speech and harmful COVID-19 misinformation. The first rulings will be scrutinized to see how independent the board appears from the world’s largest social media platform and how it may rule in the future, particularly ahead of its high-profile decision on whether Facebook was right to suspend former U.S. President Donald Trump. Facebook blocked Trump’s access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts over concerns of further violent unrest following the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by the former president’s supporters.
The Canadian Press

Conservatives say final months of 2020 a record for fundraising

OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives say they raised more than $7.6 million in the final three months of 2020. The figures come as all federals parties continue the work of prepping for a potential election this year. The Conservatives say the first six months under their new leader, Erin O’Toole, netted $13.3 million for their party’s coffers. O’Toole says the high totals mean his party’s message of a focus on getting Canadians back to work is resonating. Financial results for the final quarter of 2020 are only just starting to roll in for the other parties. Records for the Bloc Québécois show that party raised just over $961,000 in that period. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2020. Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press

Supreme Court won’t hear police oversight case; Black family alleged brutality

TORONTO — Canada’s top court has refused to hear a case involving the limits of police oversight. At issue was whether Ontario’s police watchdog had the power to review and reverse its own decision to refer a complaint to a disciplinary hearing. The case involved a Black family’s allegations of Toronto police brutality after 19 officers smashed in the front door of the Stanley family home. The officers were acting on a tip about a firearm but none was found and no one was charged. Initially, the Office of the Independent Police Review Director decided an officer should face a disciplinary hearing for excessive force. But after back-channel discussions with a senior officer, the director decided otherwise. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2021. The Canadian Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Liberal plan aims to bring Newfoundlanders and Labradorians home for good

Bringing people back to the province and keeping them here was at the heart of Liberal Leader Andrew Furey’s latest campaign stop in St. Anthony. Furey, along with St. Barbe-L’Anse aux Meadows candidate Krista Lynn Howell, unveiled a plan they’re calling Come Home Year 2022. As the name suggests, the plan would promote tourism opportunities, while also hoping to bring ex-pats back to the province. The plan would be to do this by capitalizing on the potential of opportunities and the resources that are available in Newfoundland and Labrador. “We have a highly marketable product — fresh air, beautiful landscape, welcoming people and a wealth of opportunity here in Newfoundland and Labrador,” Furey stated in a news release. That would entail attempting to maximize assets like high-quality education, investment opportunities and its current tourism product. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that it is possible to reliably work from home, and the province hopes to capitalize on that by encouraging people to return. “I think any opportunity that advances accessibility in this region, anything that makes use closer to the rest of the world … anything that promotes our lifestyle and the way we do things here, is certainly beneficial,” said Howell. “All of these things combined and the platforms that have been released, they’re all relevant to the people on the Great Northern Peninsula and this is the way we have to move in the future.” To help with this, the government would create several one-stop online portals in various communities. They would include things like StudyNL, InvestNL, ImmigrateNL, ExploreNL, CreateNL and RetireNL. There are also plans to expand on the province’s already robust tourism campaigns to target specific groups, while also completing a review of the local labour market and identifying any gaps found. “I think by the summer of 2022, well, the whole year of 2022 … there are so many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians around the globe that are just anxious and ready to come home and I think we need to welcome them with open arms, and we’re going to promote that as such,” said Furey. Nicholas Mercer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Central Voice