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Intel unit focused on analysis, not criminal operations, RCMP employee tells jury

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

OTTAWA — An RCMP employee who worked in the same intelligence unit as a man charged with revealing classified information says the unit was not involved in criminal investigations, surveillance or undercover work.Gregory O’Hayon told Ontario Superior Court that Operations Research, as the unit was known, focused on intelligence and analysis.The Crown alleges Cameron Jay Ortis, who once led the unit, anonymously sent secret information in 2015 to people who were of investigative interest to the national police force. Ortis, 51, has pleaded not guilty to violating the Security of Information Act by allegedly revealing secrets to three individuals and trying to do so in a fourth instance. Ortis’s lawyers have indicated they will try to persuade the jury their client had the authority to take the actions he did. Reporters and the general public were excluded from the courtroom for O’Hayon’s appearance Wednesday, but an edited transcript of his testimony was relea...

A list of facts about whirling disease found in some national park waterways in B.C.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

VANCOUVER — Parks Canada officials have shut down waterbodies in British Columbia’s Yoho and Kootenay national parks after the discovery of whirling disease. Here are some facts about the disease:— Species susceptible to the disease include cutthroat, rainbow, bull, brown and brook trout, coho, sockeye, chinook and Atlantic salmon and the mountain whitefish. — The disease is especially deadly for young finfish, with the overall death rate of fry and fingerlings reaching up to 90 per cent. — Affected fish may whirl in their swimming patterns, they have skeletal deformities and their tail may appear dark. — It was first found in Alberta waterbodies,and Parks Canada officials say the mostly likely cause of the spread to B.C. was through humans. — It is caused by a microscopic parasite spread through contact with a fish and a freshwater worm. — People can spread whirling disease by moving infected live or dead fish, infected worms, contaminated equipment or water. — It does not po...

Parks Canada says whirling disease could decimate fish, respect B.C. closures

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

VANCOUVER — Parks Canada officials say they’re closely watching lakes and rivers in Kootenay and Yoho national parks for a parasite that could “decimate” as much as 90 per cent of young trout and salmon.The first suspected case of the disease in British Columbia was found in September in Emerald Lake, in Yoho National Park, prompting the closure of the lake and other nearby waterways. Francois Masse, Parks Canada’s field unit superintendent for Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay national parks, says they later found “additional suspected cases” of the disease in the Kicking Horse River, Wapta Lake, Finn Creek, and Monarch Creek. Parks Canada has closed all waterbodies in Yoho and Kootenay national parks until the end of March next year. Masse says it’s too early to say what other measures they might take to stop the spread, but the public is asked to respect all closures. Whirling disease doesn’t pose a risk to humans, but can be deadly for trout, salmon an...

Man, 82, charged in historical sex assaults at Oshawa daycare

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

Durham Regional Police have charged an 82-year-old man in connection to numerous alleged sex assaults at an Oshawa daycare dating back to the 1960s.Frank Negeman, of Whitby, is facing charges of sexual assault, sexual interference with a person under the age of 14, assault, and gross indecency.His arrest comes after an alleged victim from the mid 1980s came forward in September, 2023, identifying him as the suspect.“Through investigation, officers have been able to identify additional victims and the investigation revealed additional reports of sexual assaults that occurred between the years of 1967 and 1991,” investigators said in a release.Police say Negeman was living a private residence that functioned as a daycare in the Waverly Street South and Cartier Avenue area of Oshawa.“It’s important to note that the daycare previously operated from this residence and it is believed that they ceased its operations earlier this year,” police added.

CMHC head Romy Bowers to step down, Michael Tremblay named interim CEO

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

OTTAWA — Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser says a search is underway for a new CEO of Canada’s housing agency after current leader Romy Bowers has said she’s stepping down. Fraser says in a news release that Bowers will be leaving the role in December to take a job as director of the office of risk management at the International Monetary Fund.Bowers took on the role as head of CMHC in April 2021. Before that, she was chief risk officer at the agency.The government says that CMHC chief financial officer Michel Tremblay will step into the role of CEO until it can conduct an “open, transparent, and merit-based” selection process to find a replacement for Bowers. Her departure comes as Canada’s housing affordability crisis worsens under the weight of high interest rate, inflation, and a deep mismatch between supply and demand.The search for a new leader of the federal housing agency comes as the government works to select people for various CMHC board o...

What you need to know about ‘rent reductions’ in Ontario

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

A lease agreement in Ontario can be either verbal or written and as per the Rental Tenancies Act (RTA), if any of the services or amenities included in that contract are not supplied, or taken away at a later date, tenants may be able to pursue a rent reduction.Typically, rent reductions are sought when amenities like a parking spot, use of the backyard, laundry or even cable and internet — that were provided to the tenant at the start of the lease — are no longer being made available.“What a rent reduction does is it puts money back in people’s pocket for the loss of that service, the loss of that amenity,” says Kevin Laforest, staff lawyer at Scarborough Community Legal Services.He says along with basic services, rent reductions also come into play when changes are made to the unit that may constitute a breach of the lease contract.“[This] could be a little more rare … let’s say the landlord decides we’re doing renovations...

Costco’s giant Thanksgiving dinner kit is here

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.Costco’s massive Thanksgiving dinner kit serves 8Wouldn’t you like to wake up late on Thanksgiving this year and kick your feet up, knowing that dinner is already taken care of? If you want to skip that early morning wake-up call to start prepping and cooking the big meal, this news is for you: Costco is selling a massive Thanksgiving dinner kit that serves eight, complete with all the fixings for a classic Turkey Day spread.The best part? You can pre-order it right now for just $199.99. That’s probably not much more than it would cost to shop all the groceries to cook all these dishes yourself — and that doesn’t even account for all the time (and planning and stress) you’ll save by not having to spend your whole holiday cooped up in the kitchen. It’s like having your own private chef.Shop this article: Pre-Order Fortune Gourmet Thanksgiving Dinner, Serves ...

Chicago man accused of carjacking woman on South Side arrested

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago man accused of carjacking a woman on the city's South Side has been charged, according to police.According to Chicago police, 35-year-old Josiah Noyola, a Gage Park resident, is facing one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking. Pritzker issues disaster proclamation for Cook County due to severe weather, flooding Officers say Noyola is accused of carjacking a 30-year-old woman in the 5200 block of South Damen Avenue just before 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25. Police say Noyola allegedly implied that he had a weapon during the carjacking and took the vehicle by force from the victim.According to police, Noyola was taken into custody on Thursday in the 1900 block of West 52nd Street in after officers said he was identified as the person allegedly involved in the carjacking.Noyola is set to appear in court for a detention hearing on Friday, Oct. 27.

Trump has wide lead in Texas primary poll; performs best against Biden in 2024 matchup

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Donald Trump enjoys a wide lead over his Republican primary challengers in a new Texas poll, despite his legal challenges.The former president is the first choice candidate for 62% of Republican voters in the state, according to the poll by the University of Texas/Texas Politics Project.No other Republican candidate has more than 15% support across the state. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis comes in second, at 13%, ahead of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 7%.Vivek Ramaswamy and former vice president Mike Pence round out the top five, at 3% each.The poll of 568 registered voters who say they will vote in the Republican primary was conducted between Oct. 5 and Oct. 17. MORE COVERAGE: Which presidential candidates have dropped out? More than a third of the poll respondents said they would "definitely not" support Trump in the Republican primary, while 42% said they wouldn't support Pence.Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was most underwater though, with 46% of...

How Central Texas schools alert parents, community to threats

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:41:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — School emergencies happen unexpectedly and can cause uncertainty for parents as information is made available, but it is up to school districts to provide them with updates.Many districts use a mass messaging system, such as ParentSquare, to send text messages, emails and robocalls to the contact information provided by parents. That particular system is used by Del Valle ISD and Hutto ISD. However, the specific system may vary by district. Manor ISD investigating threats made through anonymous Instagram account Information may also be posted on a district's website or social media page. Del Valle ISD and Hutto ISD use social media posts to broadcast information out to the community if necessary. For Austin ISD, the district says that it will release "accurate and timely" information to parents, the public and local media. However, the district also asks parents to not come to the school unless told to by the district. 6 Austin ISD schools deemed safe after ‘swat...