Saskatoon welcomes Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup arrived in Saskatoon Thursday with great fanfare — jet planes, bagpipes, and excited little kids. There was a military escort, plus lots of fans and dignitaries on hand, as the Canadian Hockey League Championship trophy got an official welcome. Here are tweets from the CBC’s Britainy Robinson, who covered the festivities … [View the story "Memorial Cup comes to Saskatoon" on Storify] (The tournament begins on Friday, with the hometown Blades against the London Knights.) What team is your pick to win the Memorial Cup? http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/05/16/sk-memorial-cup-arrives-in-saskatoon.html?cmp=rss
Ottawa imposes ‘stricter’ standards on U of R projects
Federal officials say any future monies provided to the University of Regina will come with strict controls. (CBC ) The federal government says its review of the problems at IPAC-CO2 revealed “serious concerns” that will mean tougher scrutiny for future University of Regina projects. Two months ago Western Economic Diversification launched a review of IPAC following revelations that the carbon capture project at the U of R was facing allegations of conflicts of interest and wasted money. The International Test Centre for CO2 capture was established in 2008 to set international standards for the safe storage of carbon dioxide underground….
Mail sorting ends for some Saskatchewan communities
Canada Post will sort mail using machines in Regina and Saskatoon. (CBC ) A letter placed in a Canada Post box in Moose Jaw, for delivery in Moose Jaw, will now make a stop in Regina as the federal Crown corporation revamps how it sorts items. The change, which took effect this week, applies to mail posted in Moose Jaw, Estevan and Weyburn. A similar change in the sorting routine is being made for communities around Saskatoon. There too, all mail will be shipped to the larger centre for sorting. While it sounds like a long way for a local…
Youngsters focus on friendship in new project
A new project aimed at improving social skills among youngsters is getting a test run at two Regina schools. A Million Acts of Friendship, created by Janice Taylor, shows children the value of being kind. “We really want children to focus on friendship acts, things that they do within school to earn rewards and badges,” Taylor said. Ruth M. Buck school in Regina is one of the schools running the program. Teacher Cambri Haase says her students have been eager participants. “It kind of gives them the skills in their life so they can interact with people,” Haase told CBC…
Experts share tips on catching arsonists
Conservation officers from across Canada are in Prince Albert, Sask., learning from experts how to spot the telltale signs of arson. The skills are important considering the potential danger of wildfires, many of which are started deliberately. The training is hosted by the province’s environment ministry and 27 people are taking part. Most of the participants are conservation officers. Expert say tracking down arsonists can have a dramatic effect on the number of wildfires in a season. The course started on Monday and wraps up Friday midday. With files from CBC’s Ryan Pilon http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/05/16/sk-wildfire-preparations-130516.html?cmp=rss
Harsher penalty sought for ex-teacher convicted of sexually exploiting student
Bonnie McLachlan leaves court during her trial in April. (Ryan Pilon/CBC) An appeal on the sentence has been filed in the case of Bonnie McLachlan who was recently found guilty of sexually exploiting a 15-year-old student two decades ago. McLachlan, now 52, was given an 18-month sentence to be served in the community. Crown prosecutors have asked the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal to review the sentence. They say the sentence was not enough considering the seriousness of the offence. McLachlan was tried by a jury which gave a verdict of guilty on April 19. The judge overseeing the trial imposed…
Alleged Saskatoon apartment scammer arrested
Jason Hartlen was arrested in Regina. He is accused of scamming would-be apartment renters in Saskatoon. (Saskatoon Police) Police in Regina have arrested a man suspected of scamming would-be apartment renters in Saskatoon. Jason Hartlen, 33, was taken into custody in Regina Thursday without incident, according to police. Police in Saskatoon said they received 25 complaints from people who attempted to rent a property from Hartlen in the 800 block of Kingsmere Boulevard in Saskatoon. The properties had been listed on the local Kijiji website, an online classified ads service. According to police, the vicitms said they met with Hartlen…
Spring sitting of legislature wraps
Saskatchewan politicians have wrapped up the spring sitting of the legislature. Premier Brad Wall said the highlight of the session for him, was the budget. “We made some difficult choices to get there,” Wall said of the financial plan for 2013-2014. “We’ll continue to make those choices because we think that’s central to the Saskatchewan advantage and it’s what the people voted for in the last election.” The province also passed legislation that combines several laws on labour and work standards into one omnibus bill. For the opposition, it was the first session with new leader Cam Broten, who assumed…
Supreme Court to rule on Wal-Mart baby case
The Supreme Court will soon rule on the case of a woman who abandoned her newborn in a Wal-Mart washroom in Prince Albert. At issue is whether April Dawn Halkett should be held criminally responsible for abandoning the baby boy. Halkett gave birth in the store washroom on May 21, 2007. At earlier trials, court heard that she did not know that she was pregnant and that, right after giving birth, the baby was blue and not moving. She left the store almost immediately after having the baby. The newborn was revived by store staff. Halkett was charged with endangering…
Lobby group takes aim at Sask. gas taxes
With the long weekend almost here, some grumbling at the gas pumps appears likely. A litre of regular gas hit $1.30 on Wednesday, although it was closer to $1.18 earlier this year. More than a quarter of that is tax, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, which wants Ottawa to make sure all gas taxes are allocated to road repairs. Here’s the breakdown… http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/05/16/sk-gas-taxes-1305.html?cmp=rss