Advertisement Advertisement A documentary about the infamous “Citizen Kane of bad movies,” Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, can finally be seen by a wider audience, after a Toronto judge on Wednesday lifted an injunction against the Canadian-made doc.Room Full of Spoons, from Ottawa-based writer and filmmaker Rick Harper, a self-proclaimed super fan of The Room, set out to tell the story of the 2003 cult movie, initially with Wiseau’s blessing and collaboration. But Wiseau reportedly pulled out of the project, and in June sought an injunction against showing the film, alleging copyright infringement, invasion of privacy and that it mocks and disparages both him and The Room.In a somewhat amusing ruling — noting that “The Room’s fame rests on its apparently abysmal quality as a movie” — Ontario Superior Court Judge Markus Koehnen dismissed all claims. Tommy Wiseau in The Room (2003) Advertisement READ MORE
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NETFLIX CANADA – MAY 2018
LEAVE A REPLY Cancel replyLog in to leave a comment Advertisement Advertisement Here’s your complete breakdown of all the movies and TV shows coming (like brand-new eps of Dear White People) and going (Mean Girls!!!) on Netflix Canada in May 2018.May 1:27: Gone Too SoonBrian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison all died at the age of 27 between 1969 and 1971. Unseen footage and interviews with medical experts, music critics and people who knew the famous artists who all coincidentally died at the age of 27.28 DaysSynopsis: After her drunken antics result in property damage, an alcoholic journalist enters rehab—and soon meets a fellow resident who changes her outlook. 47 RoninSynopsis: This action-adventure follows the exploits of 47 samurai warriors who plot to exact revenge on a court official responsible for their master’s death.The Angry Birds MovieSynopsis: Sentenced to anger management class, grumpy Red becomes a hero who trains his fellow birds to unleash their inner fury when pigs invade their island.Bram Stoker’s DraculaSynopsis: When Dracula heads to London in search of a woman who looks like his long-dead wife, vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing sets out to end the madness.Coffee For AllSynopsis: In Naples, Buenos Aires and New York, people reflect on the Neapolitan tradition of “suspended coffee” and how it changed their lives.Captain Corelli’s MandolinSynopsis: In 1940s Greece, a doctor is forced to share his house with an Italian soldier who has eyes for the doctor’s beautiful and strong-willed daughter.The Carter EffectSynopsis: Featuring eight-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter, this documentary takes an in-depth look at his impact on pop culture and the Canadian basketball scene.CIA: Comrade in AmericaSynopsis: A young man in Kerala has two weeks to stop the woman he loves from a fixed marriage in the U.S., but he doesn’t have the papers to get there.DarcSynopsis: To bring down a global human trafficking ring, an Interpol agent recruits the help of a brutal criminal with inside knowledge of the yakuza.Did You Hear About the Morgans?Synopsis: After watching a hit man commit murder, an estranged couple enters the Witness Protection Program—which means they must leave New York City and make a new life in Wyoming.DragonflySynopsis: After his wife is killed while performing relief work in Central America, a doctor’s patients begin delivering messages from her from the afterlife.Duck ButterSynopsis: Wary of dishonesty in relationships, two young women embark on a 24-hour experiment on intimacy, but their romance flounders as the clock winds down.Erin BrockovichSynopsis: Julia Roberts earned an Oscar in this emotional drama for her portrayal of a twice-divorced mother who sees an injustice and takes on the bad guys.Food On The GoSynopsis: Epicureans and experts trace the migration of Italian cuisine and its evolution in the Americas, delving into ideas of origin, diaspora and heritage.Friends with MoneySynopsis: As four Los Angeles friends—three married, one single—move from one group event to the next, financial difference begins to take its toll.HoneySynopsis: A tough, sexy dancer from the inner city becomes a successful music video choreographer, but her career is threatened when her mentor blackmails her.Honey 2Synopsis: Determined to prove herself as a street dancer, Maria heads from juvie to a Bronx rec centre, where she’s introduced to her dance idol, Honey Daniels.How HighSynopsis: Two potheads smoke some brain-enhancing weed and, to their surprise, score high enough on entrance exams to get scholarships at Harvard.iZombieiZombie: Season 4Synopsis: A medical student-turned-zombie tries to retain her humanity by eating brains at the morgue and finds she has an uncanny new gift for solving crimes.Jeepers Creepers 3Synopsis: While an overmatched sheriff’s task force pursues the Creeper, the mother of one of his victims has a vision of what must be done to stop the terror.John MulaneyJohn Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous Live at Radio City — NETFLIX ORIGINALSynopsis: John Mulaney relays stories from his childhood and SNL, eviscerates the value of college and laments getting older in this electric comedy special.LifeSynopsis: After a small-time hustler picks the pocket of a gambling bank teller, the two men are framed and must endure each other’s presence in the same jail.My GirlSynopsis: This coming-of-age charmer follows a summer in the life of an 11-year-old girl who learns about love and loss as she grapples with profound changes.My Perfect RomanceSynopsis: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a program developer pitches a revolutionary dating algorithm to her new CEO, who volunteers them as guinea pigs.The Other Boleyn GirlSynopsis: Ambitious Boleyn sisters Anne and Mary compete for the heart of powerful but intemperate King Henry VII in this opulent historical drama.Patch AdamsSynopsis: After spending time in a mental institution, a man decides to become a doctor, hypothesizing that humour will improve patients’ quality of life.PilgrimageSynopsis: In 13th-century Ireland, a motley group of monks takes on a perilous mission to deliver a precious ancient relic to Rome.PJ Masks, Season 1Synopsis: Three 6-year-old kids who live normal lives during the day become superheroes at night, fighting crime as a team known as PJ Masks.Please GiveSynopsis: Life gets knotty when Alex and Kate develop a relationship with the granddaughters of the elderly woman who lives in the apartment next door.Pocoyo & CarsSynopsis: Pocoyo gears up for exciting car races and learns that friends, teamwork and imagination are what matter the most.Pocoyo & The Space CircusSynopsis: Acrobatic aliens arrive on spaceships and perform for everyone, but when angry aliens arrive as well, Pocoyo and his friends must now put on a show.Pocoyo CarnivalSynopsis: To celebrate the carnival, everyone learns to dance to different music. Plus, Pocoyo’s friends surprise him with something delicious.Pocoyo Halloween: Space HalloweenSynopsis: Pocoyo and his friend have a costume contest to celebrate Halloween and learn new things about planets and stars in space.Pocoyo Halloween: Spooky MoviesPocoyo finds a special toy and plays new games with his friends, then they’re spooked by a scary box and try to find out who’s insidePocoyo Special SportsSynopsis: Everyone is getting excited for the games. Pocoyo plays baseball and golf, and races with his friends. Ready, set, go!Seven Years in TibetSeven Years in TibetSynopsis: During World War II, an escaped POW makes his way to Tibet, where he meets the Dalai Lama, whose friendship ultimately transforms his outlook on life.Sometimes (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: Seven strangers anxiously waiting for their HIV test results decide to bribe the clinic receptionist to get them early, learning one is positive.StephanieSynopsis: A menacing, unseen force stalks a young girl living by herself in a suburban house, where she’s surrounded by reminders of her once-happy family.The Thirteenth FloorSynopsis: In director Josef Rusnak’s mind-bending sci-fi thriller, a murder mystery unravels in a virtual reality that recreates 1930s-era Los Angeles.May 2: The 100The 100, Season 5Synopsis: One hundred young exiles from a dying space station are sent to Earth 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse to test if the planet is now inhabitable.Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on Wednesdays)Synopsis: The life of typical teen Clary Fray is upended when she learns that she’s part of a race of demon-hunting humans who have the blood of angels.The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes, Season 1Synopsis: Award-winning architect Piers Taylor and actress/property enthusiast Caroline Quentin travel the world to tour unconventional homes in extreme places.May 3:RiverdaleRiverdale, Season 2 (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on Thursdays)Synopsis: While navigating the troubled waters of sex, romance, school and family, Archie and his gang become entangled in a dark Riverdale mystery.Star, Season 2 (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on Thursdays)Synopsis: Two half-sisters raised in foster care and a young songwriter who’s hiding her celebrity parentage join forces in Atlanta to chase dreams of music stardom.May 4:Anon — NETFLIX FILMSynopsis: In a future where technology has rendered privacy obsolete, a detective investigates a serial assassin who has been deleted from all visual records.A Little Help with Carol Burnett — NETFLIX ORIGINALSynopsis: In this original unscripted series starring comedy legend Carol Burnett, kids dish out advice to celebrities and everyday people in front of a live audience.Busted!: Season 1 — (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on Fridays)Synopsis: Suspense, surprises and fun abound in this Korean variety game show featuring big personalities and even bigger mysteries in every episode.Dear White People: Volume 2 – Netflix Original seriesSynopsis: Students of colour navigate the daily slights and slippery politics of life at an Ivy League college that’s not nearly as “post-racial” as it thinks.End Game (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, End Game is an intimate vérité style documentary short that follows visionary medical practitioners who are working on the cutting edge of life and death—and dedicated to changing our thinking about both.The ExceptionSynopsis: A German soldier tries to determine if the Dutch resistance has planted a spy to infiltrate the home of Kaiser Wilhelm in Holland during the onset of World War II, but falls for a young Jewish Dutch woman during his investigation.Forgive Us Our Debts (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: Threatened by creditors, a newly unemployed man agrees to work for a debt collector, but soon discovers his deal with the devil has unexpected costs.Kong: King of the Apes: Season 2 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: Lukas and friends explore a lost world full of prehistoric beasts, uncover clues to Kong’s past and race to stop a robot uprising led by Botila.Manhunt (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: A Chinese pharmaceutical lawyer framed for a vile crime teams up with a sharp-witted Japanese detective to stop a dangerous corporate plot.My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Tina Fey (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: Tina Fey opens up about her family, the changing culture at SNL and the one moment she wishes she could take back. Plus, blues icon Buddy Guy.The Rain: Season 1 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: Six years after a brutal virus wipes out most of Scandinavia’s population, two siblings join a band of young survivors seeking safety—and answers.May 5:Dynasty, Season 1 (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on Saturdays)Synopsis: The Carringtons and the Colbys feud for control over their fortune—and their children—in this updated reboot of the classic prime-time soap.Pup Star: World TourSynopsis: Talented pooches from around the world compete to be the next Pup Star, but behind-the-scenes schemes threaten to ruin the fun.May 5: The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on May 6 and May 13)Synopsis: Trending news, pop culture, social media, original sketches and more come together in host Joel McHale’s new weekly comedy commentary show.May 7: Danny CollinsSynopsis: A hard-living rocker at the end of his career revisits his artistic roots after finding a 40-year-old letter from John Lennon.Mike Tyson MysteriesMike Tyson Mysteries, Season 3 (weekly episodes on Mondays)Synopsis: Mike Tyson, his adopted Korean daughter and a pigeon who was once a man team up to solve mysteries in this animated comedy series for adults.May 8: Hari Kondabolu: Warn Your Relatives (Netflix Original comedy)Synopsis: Hari Kondabolu breaks down identity politics, celebrity encounters, his mango obsession and more in a stand-up set full of unexpected twists.May 11: Bill Nye Saves the World: Season 3 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: Bill and his guests explore the future of food, the science of addiction and more in a new set of episodes of the Emmy-nominated series.Central IntelligenceSynopsis: After he reconnects with an awkward pal from high school through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.Evil Genius: the True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: This docuseries investigates the true story of a pizza delivery man who robbed a bank, then was killed by a bomb fastened around his neck.The Kissing Booth (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: When teenager Elle’s first kiss leads to a forbidden romance with the hottest boy in high school, she risks her relationship with her best friend.Spirit Riding Free: Season 5 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: In a small Western town, spunky ex-city girl Lucky forms a tight bond with wild horse Spirit while having adventures with best pals Pru and Abigail. Inspired by the Oscar-nominated film, Spirit: Stallion of the CimarronThe Who Was? Show: Season 1 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: A live-action sketch comedy show for kids starring the greatest names in history. Based on the best-selling book series.May 13: Ali WongAli Wong: Hard Knock Wife (Netflix Original comedy)Synopsis: Pregnant again, Ali Wong returns in her second original stand-up comedy special and gets real on why having kids is not all it’s cracked up to be.May 14: Hello, My Name Is DorisSynopsis: An unassuming 60-year-old woman takes a self-help seminar after her mother’s death, and is inspired to be more open and pursue a decades-younger co-worker.May 15: Brain Games, Season 2Synopsis: This interactive series uses games, illusions and experiments to illustrate how our brains manufacture our reality and often play tricks on us.Call the MidwifeCall the Midwife, Series 7Synopsis: This period drama set in impoverished East London in the 1950s follows a newly qualified midwife and her colleagues at a nursing convent.Disaster Earth, Season 1Synopsis: Using real footage and geographical representations, this series offers a literal window into the center of Earth, where likely natural disasters churn.Doomsday Preppers, Season 1Synopsis: This series highlights a diverse group of survivalists as they prepare for various catastrophic scenarios that could cause civilization to collapse.How Big Can It Get, Season 1Synopsis: Experts explore the possibility that the most menacing apex predators, such as saltwater crocodiles, can get even larger than previously imagined.Inside Cocaine Wars, Season 1Synopsis: Intrepid DEA agents pursue vicious and wildly drug traffickers, from Colombia to the Caribbean, in a deadly fight to stop cocaine from reaching America.May 16: A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe FitsSynopsis: Forced to assist her cruel stepmother and stepsisters at a “Cinderella” audition, teen Tessa secretly wins the role and tries to conceal her success.May 17: The Little PrinceSynopsis: A little girl lives in a very grown-up world with her mother, who tries to prepare her for it. Her neighbor, the Aviator, introduces the girl to an extraordinary world where anything is possible, the world of the Little PrinceMay 18: Cargo (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: Stranded in rural Australia in the aftermath of a violent pandemic, an infected father desperately seeks a new home for his infant child, and a means to protect her from his own changing nature.Catching FeelingsCatching Feelings (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: A Johannesburg professor and his journalist wife find their relationship tested in new ways when a famous, hard-partying writer enters their lives.The ForeignerSynopsis: A humble businessman with a buried past seeks justice when his daughter is killed in an act of terrorism. A cat-and-mouse conflict ensues with a government official, whose past may hold clues to the killers’ identities.The Legend of TarzanSynopsis: After some time living in civilized 19th-century London, the ape-raised Tarzan returns to wild Congo and faces off against abominable colonialists.May 19: Beatriz at DinnerSynopsis: A holistic medicine practitioner attends a wealthy client’s dinner party after her car breaks down.May 21: BROOKLYN NINE NINEBrooklyn Nine-Nine, Season 5Synopsis: Jake Peralta, an immature but talented NYPD detective in Brooklyn’s 99th Precinct, comes into immediate conflict with his new commanding officer, the serious and stern Captain Ray Holt.Money MonsterSynopsis: Financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes them and their crew as hostage.May 22: Men on a Mission: 2018Synopsis: Male celebs play make-believe as high schoolers, welcoming star transfer students every week and engaging in battles of witty humor and slapstick.Mob Psycho 100: Season 1 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: There’s an organization gathering “espers” (people with psychic powers) for a nefarious purpose. Powerful psychic Mob, however, is just trying to be the protagonist of his own life.Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 2 (Netflix Original anime)Synopsis: As Shion and Tsubasa grow closer day by day, Ami and Takayuki’s relationship grows complicated, and new housemates join the group.Tig Notaro Happy To Be Here (Netflix Original comedy)Synopsis: Comedian Tig Notaro unleashes her inner prankster in a playful stand-up special packed with funny anecdotes, parenting confessions and more.May 23: Explained (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on Wednesdays)Synopsis: This series spotlights topical and timely issues that impact our lives — from the gender wage gap to geopolitical politics.May 24: Fauda: Season 2 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: Doron teams up with his old undercover unit when a militant who has targeted him for revenge also launches a more ambitious covert plan.May 25: 24 Hours to LiveSynopsis: An assassin seeks redemption after being given a second chance at life.Ibiza (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: When Harper’s two best friends tag along on her work trip to Barcelona, they ditch work and fly to Ibiza for Harper, who against her better judgement, falls for a hot DJ.Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life (Netflix Original comedy)Synopsis: Comedy icons Steve Martin and Martin Short team up for musical sketches and conversations about their legendary lives in show business and stand-up.The Toys That Made Us: Season 2 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: The new season features Star Trek, Transformers, LEGO and Hello Kitty.TrollhuntersTrollhunters: Part 3 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: The fate of both trolls and humans hangs in the balance as the final chapter begins. Will Gunmar succeed in shrouding the world in darkness?May 26: Sara’s Notebook (Netflix Original film)Synopsis: A woman embarks on a harrowing search for her missing sister that brings her into the depths of the treacherous, war-torn Congolese jungle.May 27: The Break with Michelle Wolf (Netflix Original series, weekly episodes on Sundays)Synopsis: Michelle Wolf pokes fun at everything and everyone on her weekly show. Wolf has worked on “The Daily Show” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”May 28: Mother!Synopsis: A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.May 29: Twitter
Login/Register With: Facebook CocoSynopsis: Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.May 30: Animal Kingdom, Season 2Synopsis: When his mother dies, Joshua “J” Cody moves to his estranged grandmother’s seaside house, where he becomes entangled in the family’s life of crime.Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 4 (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: Kimmy gets a job at a tech startup, Titus pretends to have a TV show to impress Mikey, and Jacqueline starts a talent agency.May 31: MY NEXT GUEST NEEDS NO INTRODUCTIONMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Howard Stern (Netflix Original series)Synopsis: The groundbreaking radio personality takes the stage in the latest installment of Letterman’s in-depth, wide-ranging interview series.Last call! Here is everything leaving Netflix Canada in April:May 1:CollateralCool RunningsIn the Heart of the SeaMean GirlsMay 2:Billy MadisonPlanesTangledMay 4:Old SchoolMay 7:The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Seasons 1 – 6 Advertisement
HALLE BERRY JOINS KEANU REEVES IN JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3
Advertisement LEAVE A REPLY Cancel replyLog in to leave a comment Advertisement Anjelica Huston has also joined the film as a figure known as The Director. Other newcomers include Asia Kate Dillon, Mark Dacascos, Jason Mantzoukas, Yayan Ruhian, Cecep Arif Rahman, and Tiger Hu Chen. READ MOREHalle Berry, Anjelica Huston Join ‘John Wick: Chapter 3’Halle Berry, Anjelica Huston, Asia Kate Dillon, Mark Dacascos, and Jason Mantzoukas have joined the cast of “John Wick: Chapter 3.”The film, starring Keanu Reeves, will bring back Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick. It will be released by Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label on May 17, 2019. READ MOREJohn Wick 3 Has Officially Cast Halle Berry And MoreThe last we saw our favorite retired hitman and puppy avenger John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 2, he was in a world of trouble, having been declared officially excommunicado from the Continental and dealing with a global contract out on his head. When it releases next year, John Wick: Chapter 3 will pick up after the events of the last film and find Keanu Reeves’ character facing countless threats with no sanctuary to turn to. READ MOREHalle Berry goes for kill, joins Keanu Reeves in assassin-filled ‘John Wick: Chapter 3’Halle Berry has joined a killer group of assassins facing Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 3. The action film announced Monday that Berry would join a star-studded cast, including Anjelica Huston, for the third installment due out May 17, 2019.The casting details remain secretive, but Berry will star as an underworld assassin named Sofia, while Huston will play “The Director.” READ MORE Facebook HALLE BERRY JOINS KEANU REEVES IN ‘JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3’Director Chad Stahelski, who oversaw the mayhem in the first two movies, will be back behind the camera. Halle Berry has signed on to star opposite Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 3, the latest installment in Liongate’s action series. Director Chad Stahelski, who oversaw the mayhem in the first two movies, will be back behind the camera for Chapter 3.The story picks up after the events of Chapter 2, which finds Wick, a former assassin who tried and failed to live the quiet life, with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. READ MOREHALLE BERRY JOINS JOHN WICK 3Halle Berry has officially joined John Wick: Chapter 3. Berry confirmed on Instagram she will star opposite Keanu Reeves. Details about her character, which reportedly isn’t a villain, weren’t shared. Advertisement Login/Register With: Twitter
COREY HART TALKS FAMILY FAME AHEAD OF NATIONAL TOUR
COREY HART DETAILS LONG-AWAITED COMEBACK: NEW EP, TOUR AND CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONAfter a two-decade-long hiatus, pop icon Corey Hart is making his return to the music scene.The Canadian Walk of Famer is known for singles such as Sunglasses at Night and Never Surrender, among many other monumental synth-pop songs that changed the course of the nation’s music in the 1980s.Hart, 56, left the spotlight in 1998 after releasing his last album, Jade. He devoted his time to his raising his four children after an extremely successful career. On Jan. 16, it was revealed that Hart will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during the Juno Awards in March. READ MOREAT 56, COREY HART SURRENDERED AND RETURNED TO THE STUDIO AND THE STAGECorey Hart is, by his own admission, an “all or nothing” kind of guy.So while, to outward appearances, the once-inescapable Can-pop superstar responsible for such timeless ’80s staples as “Sunglasses at Night” and “Never Surrender” has opted to do nothing for the better part of 20 years, the opposite is actually true: he just went “all in” being a father to the four children he has with his wife, chanteuse Québécoise Julie Masse. He decided his kids were everything. And he has no regrets about that. READ MORE Advertisement COREY HART TALKS FAMILY, FAME AHEAD OF NATIONAL TOURHart is set to be inducted to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in March.He’s won Juno awards, his albums have been certified platinum and now, he’s set to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame — but not before dropping by the Ottawa Morning studios.Corey Hart, the ’80s sensation behind the hits “Sunglasses at Night” and “Never Surrender,” is jumping back into music with a new album and a cross-country tour. Advertisement Advertisement Great afternoon with the boy in a box! #coreyhart talks first new music in 20 years and induction into Canada’s Music Hall Of Fame. Full interview soon on @MorningShowCA pic.twitter.com/8KBQUotKjc— Jeff McArthur (@jmacspeaks) January 21, 2019 Congratulations to Corey Hart, who’ll be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at this year’s Juno Awards. He’ll tell you that this was the highlight of his career. 🙂https://t.co/9EcVJq9rQ9— Stu Jeffries (@stujeffries) January 19, 2019 His return wasn’t planned — but three decades after topping the charts and four kids later, it seemed like the right time. READ MORE
COREY HART ON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE SPOTLIGHT AND WHY HE’S NOW MAKING HIS RETURNWhen Corey Hart’s hit song Sunglasses at Night came out in 1984, MTV was the new big thing and music videos were exploding onto the scene. That’s how a lot of people got to know the 22-year-old James Dean look-a-like. But that’s just one part of a huge career.Hart’s career is about to be recognized with an induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, where he will join the likes of Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell. This morning, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced that Hart will be honoured at this year’s Juno Awards on Sunday, March 17. READ MORECOREY HART TO BE INDUCTED INTO CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME AT JUNO AWARDSCorey Hart will join Canadian music royalty in the country’s music hall of fame.The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences says Hart, who has sold more than 16 million albums, will be inducted during the Juno Awards in London, Ont., on March 17, when he will also perform for the first time in 20 years. READ MORE Facebook Login/Register With: LEAVE A REPLY Cancel replyLog in to leave a comment Corey Hart, wearing sunglasses — but not at night. Hart dropped by CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning this week to talk about why he left the music scene behind, and why he’s now making a comeback. (John Wagner Photography) Twitter
SIRIUSXM CANADA TO LAUNCH THE CHER CHANNEL ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 17
“I can’t imagine anyone doing a better job with my music than the brilliant cast of ‘The Cher Show’ and I’m looking forward to talking about the show and my career on the new SiriusXM channel,” commented Cher.“Working with Cher these last three years has confirmed everything I always thought about this extraordinary icon: She’s brilliant, she’s brave, and she is one of the greatest artists of our time,” said producer Jeffrey Seller. “The Cher Channel on SiriusXM is a perfect way for fans to get even deeper into the inspiration that is Cher.”For six straight decades, only one unstoppable force has flat-out dominated popular culture — breaking down barriers, pushing boundaries, and letting nothing and no one stand in her way. The Cher Show is her story, and it’s packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: The kid starting out, the glam pop star and the icon. The Cher Show is 35 smash hits, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, a Grammy, an Oscar, an Emmy, and enough Bob Mackie gowns to cause a sequins shortage in New York City, all in one unabashedly fabulous new musical.Cher is currently on tour with her critically acclaimed “Here We Go Again” Tour and most recently received a Kennedy Center Honor.SiriusXM subscribers are able to listen to The Cher Channel, channel 4, on SiriusXM radios, and those with streaming access can listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app and at home on a wide variety of connected devices including smart TVs, Amazon Alexa devices, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more. Go to SiriusXM.ca/streaming to learn more.About The Cher Show:The Cher Show, a new bio musical featuring a book by Tony Award winner Rick Elice and directed by Tony Award nominee Jason Moore, is currently playing on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street). The show stars Tony Award nominee Stephanie J. Block , Teal Wicks, and Micaela Diamond (in her Broadway debut) in the role of the iconic singer and actress at various times in her life and career. They are joined by Tony Award nominee Jarrod Spector as Sonny Bono, Tony Award nominee Michael Berresse as Bob Mackie, Michael Campayno as Rob Camilletti, Matthew Hydzik as Gregg Allman, and Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner as Georgia Holt. The Cher Show is produced by Cher, Flody Suarez, and four-time Tony Award-winner Jeffrey Seller. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.TheCherShowBroadway.com.About SiriusXM CanadaSirius XM Canada Holdings Inc., operating as SiriusXM Canada, is the country’s leading entertainment company. SiriusXM creates and offers commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; and exclusive talk and entertainment. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company and on smartphones and other connected devices as well as online at siriusxm.ca.Join SiriusXM Canada on Facebook at facebook.com/siriusxmcanada, on Twitter at @siriusxmcanada, on Instagram at @siriusxmcanada and on YouTube at youtube.com/siriusxmcanada.SiriusXM radios and accessories are available from retailers nationwide and online at SiriusXM. In addition, SiriusXM Music for Business provides commercial-free music to a variety of businesses. SiriusXM is also a leading provider of connected vehicles services, giving customers access to a suite of safety, security, and convenience services including automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery assistance, enhanced roadside assistance and turn-by-turn navigation.SiriusXM Canada has been designated one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies ten years in a row and is currently a Platinum Club Member. Advertisement Advertisement Facebook Twitter LEAVE A REPLY Cancel replyLog in to leave a comment TORONTO, April 16, 2019 – SiriusXM Canada, the country’s leading audio entertainment company, announced today that the one and only Cher and her music will be celebrated on the new, exclusive limited-run The Cher Channel on SiriusXM beginning April 17.The Cher Channel, will showcase music from Cher’s wide-ranging career, including her indelible hits as well as her musical influences. The channel will also feature a collection of recordings from every era of Cher’s decades-long multi-award winning career along with stories from the legend about her music, her life and her legacy. Additionally, The Cher Channel will also feature music from the just released original cast album for The Cher Show, the new bio musical currently playing on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre.SiriusXM’s The Cher Channel will launch on Wednesday, April 17 at 12:00 pm ET and run through Wednesday, May 1 at 3:00 am ET on SiriusXM radios (channel 4) and on the SiriusXM app. Advertisement Login/Register With:
Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan not returning my calls on Attawapiskat says
APTN National NewsKathleen Wynne is the minister of Aboriginal Affairs for the province of Ontario.APTN National News asked her some questions about what her government is doing for Attawapiskat.Wynne said she’s reached out to her federal counterpart, Aboriginal Affairs John Duncan, who is not returning her calls.
Nunavut mulls what to do with mining windfall
APTN National NewsIt seems like a simple question.Nunavut’s biggest land claims organization has mining money coming.And so, what are they going to do with it?As APTN National News reporter Kent Driscoll discovers, it depends on ones vision for the future of Nunavut and how Inuit are best served by their own dollars.
Prime Minister asked to help dying children in Tyendinaga
APTN National NewsPrime Minister Stephen Harper has been asked to help find out why there’s been a spike in childhood leukemia on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.Harper received a letter from concerned mother Kimberly Maracle Friday demanding to know what the Canadian government is doing pinpoint the cause.“As a mother living on this territory, with a 12 year old child going to school on the territory at the same school that the other children are coming down sick … What is the Canadian government going to do about this situation?” said Maracle in her email. “Are your offices aware of this epidemic?”Tyendinaga is a community of about 2,600 people about 2 hours east of Toronto. Within the last year three cases of leukemia have been confirmed on the reserve and another two just north in Tyendinaga Township. APTN National News reporter Delaney Windigo first reported the story Nov. 5.She spoke with parent Dawn Sero who lost her daughter Paula, 13, in September a few months after she was diagnosed. Fellow resident Shawn Brant’s daughter is currently fighting for her life in The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto.In recent days, APTN National News has been in contact with Chief Don Maracle who says water tests at the Quinte Mohawk School have come back showing no contaminants but further water tests haven’t been able to pinpoint a cause.Maracle says Health Canada has agreed to be part of a committee to root out the problem. Doctors, scientists, band council members and parents will also sit on the committee.“Health Canada has been contacted by (Maracle) requesting that the department participate on a committee of stakeholders to undertake a further investigation. Health Canada has agreed to participate,” said a spokesperson in an email. “In keeping with best practices for investigating disease clusters, Health Canada offers to conduct analyses, in conjunction with local and provincial health partners, to help identify possible trends and risk factors in situations of this nature.”Kimberly Maracle questions whether the band council has done enough.“There is an epidemic of our children getting sick on our territory,” she wrote, adding other children have brain tumors and open sores on their bodies. “We are in a crisis situation.” kjackson@aptn.ca
Residential schools chief adjudicator to resign
By Kathleen Martens APTN National News WINNIPEG — Canada’s chief adjudicator for the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement’s Independent Assessment Process (IAP) has resigned, APTN Investigates has learned.Dan Ish gave his written notice to the IAP’s Oversight Committee a few weeks ago, saying it will be effective in June.Ish has been overseeing the multi-billion dollar program since being appointed for five years in Sept. 19, 2007.However, the IAP has received triple the expected number of applications from former residential school survivors, something Ish cited in stepping down.The deadline for applications expired Sept. 19, 2012, but the work is expected to continue for several more years.Sources say Ish’s resignation was accepted “with regret” by the IAP Oversight Committee at its meeting in Vancouver last month. Ish was not immediately available for comment.The meeting occurred only a week after Ish was once again before Vancouver’s Supreme Court seeking court approval to investigate a lawyer for a suspected breach of IAP guidelines.Justice Brenda Brown rejected the request for a potentially lengthy, multi-million dollar investigation. She instead mediated an agreement for the Indian Residential School Adjudication Secretariat (IRSAS) to review the IAP casework of Vancouver lawyer Stephen Bronstein, with an option to order a full investigation down the road.The IRSAS is probing Bronstein’s alleged connection to Ivon Johnny, a 62-year-old, convicted murderer who said he was doing IAP intake work for Bronstein while on parole. However, former students in the Chilcotin communities around Williams Lake, B.C., complained Johnny was extorting money from their compensation payouts.Johnny’s full parole was revoked in January as a result of the complaints.It was also complaints from former students that led to a $3.5-million investigation into Calgary lawyer David Blott in November 2011. Brown kicked Blott and others out of the IAP after investigators found he violated the trust of his vulnerable clients, wrongly provided loans against their compensation claims, and improperly charged them interest, penalties or fees.Blott represented more than 4,000 claimants across Canada.The compensation is for survivors who suffered serious physical and sexual abuse while young students at Canada’s notorious Indian Residential Schools. The most recent statistics provided by IRSAS show $1.8-billion has been spent completing the claims of about 75,000 former students.kmartens@aptn.ca@kmarte
Shawn Atleo discusses split among chiefs leading up to meetings next week
APTN National NewsFirst Nations leaders will meet next week in Whitehorse for the Assembly of First Nations annual general assembly.But there will be a few chiefs missing.Some are instead attending a separate gathering at the Onion Lake Cree Nation.It’s a protest against what they say is the ineffectiveness of the AFN.National Chief Shawn Atleo spoke to APTN National News Thursday.
Tuberculosis tests done on Saskatchewan First Nations elder
APTN National NewsTwo weeks ago APTN reported that government-supported physicians used Aboriginal children in experimental tuberculosis vaccine trials.The tests took place at the Fort San Sanatorium in Saskatchewan during the 1930s and 1940s.APTN’s Larissa Burnouf speaks to a First Nations elder who lived and was treated there as a child.
Colorado advances bill limiting Native American mascots
The Canadian PressDENVER – A proposal debated Monday by lawmakers about the use of Native American mascots by Colorado schools prompted a tense moment about using slurs for other groups of people as team names.To make a point of how offensive mascot monikers such as “redskins” can be, the sponsors of a bill limiting the use of such names began their presentation to the House Education Committee with a slideshow, playing on a loop, with caricatures bearing offensive names for Hispanic, Asian, and black people.“We wouldn’t tolerate these images now, would we?” said Rep. Joe Salazar, a Thornton Democrat who is co-sponsoring the bill.The images drew a strong reaction from Rep. Rhonda Fields, a black lawmaker on the committee who supports the bill. She said the slideshow was offensive and should be stopped because the sponsors had made their point.“Rep. Fields, I’m just as offended by it, and I think that’s the point,” said Rep. Jovan Melton, who is also black. “The point is there’s students who have to go every single day to school and see ‘savages’ or ‘redskins’ or to see some type image that degrades them.”The bill cleared the committee – its first – with a 6-5 party-line vote with Republicans in opposition. It needs passage by one more panel before going to the full House.The bill would require public schools with American Indian mascots or logos to get permission for their use from a panel of nine Native Americans.Only schools that get approval would be allowed to continue using the mascots. Schools that don’t get permission would have to stop the use within two years or face a fine of $25,000 a month.Opponents of the bill have argued that it would be cost prohibitive for schools to redo logos on uniforms, buses and gym floors. They also argue that it’s not their intent to offend, and that for some schools the names are a source of pride.The bill would create a new state panel called the Subcommittee for the Consideration of the Use of American Indian Mascots by Public Schools. The voting members would review mascot names and decide whether the mascots are offensive.Rep. Justin Everett said the proposal would be “another burden on school districts.”“Especially the rural school districts who are going to come testify in front of the committee, basically sing for their supper so they’re not losing $25,000,” he said.John Sampson, a board member of the Strasburg School District, home of the Indians, said they have pride and respect in the name.“Contrary to what has been suggested here today, we do not in any way, shape, form or manner hold American Indians, their culture, their heritage or their values in disrespect,” he said.The movement to ban the use of Native American mascots has gotten greater public attention because of the push to get the NFL’s Washington Redskins to change the name of the team.At the college level, the NCAA warned more than a dozen schools in 2005 that they would face sanctions if they didn’t change Native American logos or nicknames. Some colleges kept the nicknames by obtaining permission from tribes, including the Florida State Seminoles and the University of Utah Utes.
Alberta Appeal Court orders new trial for Connie Oakes cites unsavory witness
Jorge Barrera APTN National NewsThe Court of Appeal of Alberta, citing “frailties in the evidence,” overturned on Wednesday the murder conviction of a Cree woman from Nekaneet First Nation and ordered a new trial after a finding a “miscarriage of justice” occurred in her case.The three judges on the Alberta Appeal Court split on the decision, with Justice Bruce McDonald penning a dissenting opinion.The other two judges, Justice Myra Bielby and Justice J.A. Schutz, concluded in the majority ruling that recent related developments in the case against Connie Oakes, which relied almost exclusively on the testimony of the co-accused Wendy Scott who was described as an “unsavoury witness,” warranted her conviction of second degree murder be overturned and a new trial ordered.Oakes, who is from the southern Saskatchewan Cree community of Nekaneet, was serving a life sentence in the Edmonton Institution for Women with no change of parole for 14 years after a Medicine Hat, Alta., jury found her guilty in the 2011 murder of Casey Armstrong, 48. Armstrong was found dead in his bathtub with a puncture wound through the neck from a blow that nearly decapitated him.It’s expected she will now be moved to the provincial remand centre in Medicine Hat.Oakes has maintained her innocence of the murder from the moment she was first interviewed by Medicine Hat police.The judges determined that last October’s Court of Appeal ruling striking Scott’s guilty plea in and order of a new trial further weakened the testimony on which the Crown built its case against Oakes. The ruling highlighted the trial Crown’s emphasis on Scott’s guilty plea to buttress her problematic testimony during trial which was replete with contradictions and inconsistencies. Scott was assessed as having an IQ of 50.“The emphasis thus put on Ms. Scott’s apparent admission of personal responsibility as an aid in assessing credibility, an admission now set aside and thus irrelevant, was repeatedly highlighted to the jury,” said the ruling. “Given the frailties in Ms. Scott’s testimony and also the purported independent confirmatory evidence, the jury may well not have been able to get to a guilty verdict without the ‘finding of guilt’ by another judge in relation to Ms. Scott, a finding which has now been set aside in favour of retrial…The fresh evidence places the reliability of Ms. Oakes’ conviction in serious doubt.”Scott’s trial is scheduled to begin next February.Scott also swore in an affidavit that she “did not believe Connie Oakes was at Casey Armstrong’s trailer and I wanted to help her.”Wendy Scott in a Facebook photo posted in 2008.The judges also listed the litany of problems in the case built against Oakes.“No forensic evidence, evidence of motive or other evidence linked Ms. Oakes, or any other particular perpetrator, to the murder,” said the ruling, which also highlighted Medicine Hat police failed to identify a bloody boot print found in Armstrong’s bathroom. “Rather, the only evidence identifying Ms. Oakes as the murderer was the testimony of Ms. Scott, who admitted she herself was present when the murder was committed and, during cross-examination, agreed that she had earlier identified three other individuals as the murderer to the police…Ms. Scott testified that she had lied to the police when she accused each of these three other people.”Read APTN’s investigation into the Connie Oakes case hereThe rulingDownload (PDF, Unknown)One of Oakes’ lawyers Alexandra Seaman said she was “thrilled” the majority on the Appeal Court overturned the murder conviction.“The majority of the Court of Appeal was quite clear a miscarriage of justice has occurred in this case,” said Seaman.Seaman said the focus will now turn to the Court of Queen’s Bench in Medicine Hat which will again be the scene of Oakes’ retrial.No court date has yet been set to being that process, but Seaman said she will be working on getting Oakes a bail hearing and a trial date as early as possible.Casey Armstrong. Medicine Hat olice handoutThe Crown has the opportunity to take Wednesday’s decision to the Supreme Court because of the dissenting opinion.The Crown’s office issued a statement saying there would be no comment because the matter is still before the courts.Oakes was a “little disappointed” with the ruling because she was hoping for an acquittal, said her aunt Linda Oakes.“She sounded a little disappointed,” said Oakes, who spoke with Connie Oakes Wednesday morning. “She said she needed to get out because her mom is not doing good.”Linda Oakes said the family is now hoping Connie Oakes will soon get on bail.“With the new trial, how are they going to do that, they never had any evidence to begin with,” said Linda Oakes. “We were hoping she’d get out, mom is not doing so good, she needs to be out here.”Connie Oakes’ aging mother Margaret Oakes has been dealing with health issues related to diabetes.The ruling left Armstrong’s daughter, Karli Armstrong confused and saddened.“I don’t know what to think,” she said. “My heart is broken.”The ruling also suggested another woman, nicknamed Ginger, may have been involved in the killing. Scott initially accused Ginger of the murder during police interrogations before settling on Oakes. The ruling said the only supporting evidence submitted during trial on the possible identity of Armstrong’s murder came from an eye witness who saw two women, one with red hair, standing by a red car outside Armstrong’s residence.“The neighbour’s evidence more strongly supports the identification of the person earlier identified by Ms. Scott as being the killer, Ginger, as that independent witness testified that one of the two women she saw had reddish hair as did Ginger, who also owned a red car at the time,” said the ruling.APTN independently confirmed that the red car Medicine Hat police believed was used in the murder was bought with cash and crack by a drug dealer named Ginger who has red hair. APTN knows the identity of Ginger.Read APTN’s investigation into Ginger and the red car hereThe ruling also highlighted that Scott only accused Oakes of the murder after police interrogators told her they had found her DNA in the trailer and that Oakes had implicated her in the crime.“We now know both those statements were false, but suggests that Ms. Scott then named various parties as the killer to deflect attention from her own involvement,” said the ruling. “Ms. Scott’s evidence was exceedingly frail as to her implication of Ms. Oakes, and the evidence which purported to be independent and confirmatory was evidence which did not unequivocally or reliably identify her as the murderer.”In his dissent, McDonald determined Oakes’ appeal had no merit.“The subsequent overturning of Ms. Scott’s conviction, her so-called ‘recantation,’ and her disputed and implausible allegations of police impropriety do not demonstrate a miscarriage of justice,” wrote McDonald.jbarrera@aptn.ca@JorgeBarrera
Murder appeal like reopening wounds for family of Loretta Saunders
(Clayton and Miriam Saunders at the Halifax courthouse Wednesday. Photo: Anna Cormier/APTN)Anna CormierAPTN National NewsThe mother of Loretta Saunders says it was important to make the long trip from Labrador to Halifax to sit in on an appeal hearing for one of the people convicted of killing her daughter – despite the pain it would cause.“The reason we came was to make sure that everyone didn’t put their eyes on her, and pity her,” said Miriam Saunders.Loretta Saunders is the Inuk woman from Labrador who was murdered in her Halifax apartment in 2014 over a few hundred dollars owed to her for rent.Miriam Saunders (right) outside court with supporters. Photo: Anna Cormier/APTNVictoria Henneberry and Blake Leggette were convicted of her murder.Henneberry is appealing her conviction of second-degree murder based on fresh evidence that she was not in the right state of mind when she entered the guilty plea.Delilah Saunders, Loretta’s sister, said she thinks the hearing is a waste of time and resources.“She was assessed by a psychiatrist and she pleaded guilty after being informed by her very competent lawyer,” said Delilah.Midway through the morning’s proceedings, an emotional Miriam Saunders left the courtroom.“We just want to be able to heal,” she said. “I was able to do some good memories of her before, but it seems like they keep my good memories and they give me ugly, hard and painful ones and I don’t want them.”Loretta’s father, Clayton Saunders, was also at the hearing.He too just wants to move on.“If she gets her appeal, then we gotta wait for her trial, which might be another year, who knows? And then we gotta keep on going,” he said. “I think those three judges will make the right decision.”Delilah Saunders addressing the media outside court. Photo: Anna Cormier/APTNHenneberry is defending herself, asks for more time.Although Henneberry had already been granted a postponement of her appeal, which was originally supposed to take place in January, she opened up Wednesday’s hearing by again asking for more time.“I have no idea what I’m doing,” said Henneberry stating her case for an adjournment.Henneberry is defending herself because she had been denied legal representation from Legal Aid in Nova Scotia.She then had been seeking representation from a lawyer in Ontario and sent her documents there.The Crown, however, had copies of all documents for Henneberry to review.Henneberry also produced a document that no one had seen prior to the hearing.It was from an assessment done by another psychologist.The Crown noted this psychologist only had notes from what Henneberry had been saying about her own mental health – and no other sources.“Ms. Henneberry has to face reality now,” said Crown Prosecutor Mark Scott. “She is holding her own appeal hostage.”Loretta Saunders in an undated photo.Ultimately Henneberry’s request for an adjournment was denied and the hearing proceeded.During cross-examination, Henneberry focused her questions on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Andrew Starzomski, a psychiatrist and witness for the Crown, said after extensive assessments he could not determine whether Henneberry suffered from various mental illnesses, indicating her answers may have been exaggerated.He said that although Henneberry herself was asserting she had PTSD, there was no record of that other than the new document which was produced that morning.The doctor who conducted the latest assessment hadn’t known Henneberry for very long.Henneberry was given the choice to proceed with her own arguments the same day or to take the night to prepare. She decided to wait until Thursday.Henneberry’s boyfriend at the time, Blake Leggette, was convicted of first-degree murder in the killing.The pair were subletting Saunders apartment in Halifax. They owed Saunders rent – and instead of coming up with the cash, they murdered her in the apartment, put her body in a hockey bag, and dumped it on the side of a highway in New Brunswick.Shortly before the trial was scheduled, Henneberry and Legette pleaded guilty.Henneberry was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years.Legette was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
First World War Anishinabe soldier celebrated in Belgium
Beverly AndrewsAPTN NewsAnishinabe soldier Francis Pagahmagabow who fought in the First World War may not be a well-known name in Canada – but he’s celebrated in Europe. Pagahmagabow was one of the soldiers honoured at a ceremony in Belgium at the beginning in November for his service during the war.It happened on the anniversary of Battle of Passchendaele.About a hundred people wrapped in warm coats, and scarves stand with their hands in their pockets while speeches are read from the podium – and a wreath laid at the cenotaph.This isn’t the first time Julia Pegahmagabow has honoured her great-grandfather, Staff Sgt. Francis Pegahmagabow – but it’s her first time in Belgium visiting one of the places where he served.“It was indeed a great sacrifice,” she told APTN News. “Just as with the rest of the Canadian soldiers who came here and lost their lives here.”(The headdress belonging to Pegahmagabow on display at the National War Museum. Photo: Annette Francis/APTN)2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele.It was one of the deadliest for Canada – 4,000 dead, and another 12,000 wounded.Francis Pegahmagabow from the Wasauksing First Nation fought in many battles as a deadly sniper.Pegahmagabow enlisted just days after Britain declared war on Germany.“He left Canada as a person who really probably thought of himself as a treaty person, who came as an ally and not as a subject,” she said.“Who was honouring his commitment to Treaty by joining the commonwealth an enlisting for this war.”Initially, the Canadian government discouraged Indigenous peoples from enlisting.But that didn’t stop Francis Pegahmagabow.He ended up being known as the deadliest sniper of World War One – credited with 378 kills, and capturing 300 more.And his skills helped him carry messages along the frontlines.“We may have been a small portion, 4000 people, 4000 men enlisting from indigenous communities but the contribution was great,” said his great-granddaughter.(Medals belonging to Pegahmagabow on display at the National War Museum. (Photo: Annette Francis/APTN)Francis was awarded the Military Medal – one of many he would take home from the war in Europe.First Bar at the Battle of Passchendaele.The second at the Battle of the Scarpe where he braved enemy fire to collect ammunition in No Man’s Land.But despite the bravery, her great-grandfather showed on the battlefield fighting alongside Canadian and British soldiers, nothing changed when he returned home.In Canada, he was again under the control of the Indian agent – but he started a news fight – one for the freedom of Indigenous people.“He was certainly in the war a sniper and scout,” said his great-grandson Brian McInnes. “But Francis was also a father, a good community member, former Wasauksing councilor, chief and also national chief, of the time, the national Indian government.McInnes said having been an equal in the trenches, risking his life and sustaining injuries, his great-grandfather found it unacceptable to be under the control of an Indian agent.As well as living with other Canadian policies meant to limit Indigenous rights and freedoms.“And that’s was what really Francis referred to after the war as his greatest war,” said McInnes. “To ensure the legacy of his people forever into the future.”Francis Pegahmagabow wanted to unite and strengthen the rights of Indigenous people of Anishinabe of Wasauksing, and eventually the entire country.To have Treaties honoured, and to be recognized as equals.“I think the biggest accomplishment was that he came home,” said Julia Pegahmagabow. “He got to come home and we’re here because he was able to come home.”After speeches are given, there is a moment of silence.Then the band plays one last song to honour the fallen.Julia Pegahmagabow hopes the legacy and heroism of her great-grandfather and all Indigenous soldiers is taught more in schools so their service is never forgotten.
Rock slide derails CP Rail freight train in BCs Fraser Canyon
VICTORIA – British Columbia’s Environment Ministry says a rock slide north of Hope derailed a freight train and led to a fuel spill in the Fraser River.The ministry says in a statement that a Canadian Pacific Rail (TSX:CP) train was knocked off the tracks on Thursday by the slide near Hells Gate in the Fraser Canyon.Several empty grain cars jumped the tracks and the train engine was knocked on to its side.The statement says the engine’s fuel line ruptured and an undetermined amount of fuel spilled into the Fraser River before emergency workers could temporarily patch the leak.Emergency responders from the province and CP Rail have been sent to the scene to assess damages and monitor the environmental response.CP Rail says in a statement that the derailment poses no threat to public safety and an investigation is ongoing.
CMHC says pace of housing starts picked up in February compared with
OTTAWA – The pace of new home construction picked up unexpectedly in February driven by strength in the condo market in major cities, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. said Thursday.Meanwhile, Statistics Canada reported that building permits rose beyond expectations in January — particularly in the condo market — signalling continued strength in the multi-family dwelling category.CMHC said the seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts increased to 229,737 units in February, up from 215,260 in January.Economists had expected the rate to come in at 216,600, according to Thomson Reuters. Housing starts are considered a leading indicator of how the economy is performing.TD Bank economist Rishi Sondhi said homebuilding continues to defy expectations.“Starts are being boosted by a relatively firm economic backdrop, healthy population growth and past gains in pre-construction sales in Toronto,” Sondhi wrote in a report.“However, February’s increase was driven by the volatile multi-unit sector, leaving some scope for reversal in March.”Sondhi noted that while the pace of starts has held up so far this year, TD expects that cooling demand in the face of restrictive policy measures and higher rates will ultimately slow starts going forward.New mortgage rules this year mean federally regulated lenders must subject homebuyers seeking uninsured mortgages to a stress test to ensure they can continue to make payments even if rates rise.The overall increase in housing starts for February came as the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased by 7.1 per cent in February to 211,211 units.Multiple urban starts increased 15 per cent to 154,535 units while single-detached urban starts fell 9.8 per cent to 56,676 units. Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 18,526 units.The six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing starts was 225,276 units in February compared with 224,572 in January.A separate report from Statistics Canada revealed that municipalities issued $8.4 billion in building permits in January, up 5.6 per cent from December.Economists had expected the value of building permits to increase 1.3 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters.The increase was due in large part to permits for multi-family dwellings in Ontario that rose 71.0 per cent or $404.3 million to $974 million in January, more than offsetting the 39.7 per cent drop reported the previous month.Overall, residential permits climbed 5.9 per cent for the month to $5.32 billion, while commercial building permits gained 8.9 per cent to $1.7 billion and institutional permits increased 19.2 per cent to $834.9 million.Permits for industrial buildings fell 18.6 per cent to $554.5 million.
Argos to introduce lower ticket prices and nix parking lot tailgating
TORONTO – Toronto Argonauts fans can expect lower ticket prices this season, along with tailgating inside the stadium and branding focused on the team’s roots as a rowing club.The changes announced Monday are part of owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s ambitious efforts to revamp the Argos and after years of attendance woes and build a fanbase as large and rabid as MLSE’s other teams — the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, NBA’s Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC of Major League Soccer.“Our job is to make sure that club is on the same playing field as the rest of our rest great franchises here,” said Jerry Ferguson, MLSE’s head of marketing. “We want people to feel and believe that the Argos is Toronto’s team.”The Argos averaged 14,000 fans last season at BMO Field, a stadium that seats roughly 26,000. To increase that number, MLSE says it will target millennials new to the CFL experience as well as long-time Argos supporters. If both groups are enticed to come out to games, MLSE thinks it can increase their stadium audience.To get fans to games, the average ticket price will be rolled back by 23 per cent, meaning about 2,600 tickets will be sold for as low as $15 per game for season’s seat holders and $19 per game for single-seat buyers.“At the Argos, the fanbase has struggled a little bit,” Argos president Bill Manning admitted. “We were actually priced higher than TFC and we were losing some of the family aspect of Argos games.”He said the team won’t drop ticket prices too low or give seats away en mass, because once someone is used tickets being so cheap or getting them for free “they’ll never pay.”However, the club will “condense” seating, by selling tickets in the lower bowl first and keeping the upper deck on the east side empty, unless demand increases to fill those seats.The team will also nix tailgating parties in the parking lots outside BMO Field and move them into the stadium. The popular U.S. phenomenon was brought to Argos games in 2016, but provincial liquor laws meant fans had to purchase booze on-site instead of bringing it from home.Manning, who grew up in the U.S., said Toronto’s tailgating felt “forced.”“With the ordinances and where they are, it is hard to replicate what they do in Ohio State or with the Philadelphia Eagles,” said Manning. “It actually costs the organization a lot of money to put that on and it wasn’t worth it with the number of people that actually did it.”He didn’t share specifics about how tailgating at BMO Field will work, but said MLSE is toying with specials and an area at the north end of the stadium that could be built out.Meanwhile, fans will be able to purchase new Argos merchandise emblazoned with cannons, shields and typography inspired by old cuts of wood.The nautical themes are rooted in the team’s past as part of the Argonaut Rowing Club, which had a football team as a way to stay fit. The merchandise will feature the blue hues associated with Oxford and Cambridge Universities, an homage to the rowing club’s love of both schools’ rugby teams.The team will use an old slogan “Pull Together” in attempt to match bravado of the Raptors’ “We the North” and TFC’s “All for One” campaigns.“We want to create a sense of rivalry, so if you’re from here, you love us and if you’re not from here, you hate us,” said Ferguson.That message wasn’t lost on CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, who joked that he took one look at a forthcoming Argos shirt with “Toronto” written over a map of Canada and thought “I’m a Winnipegger, born and raised, so I already hate that.”He said that the attitude was indicative of the league’s bold plans to become “bigger, stronger, better.”“The CFL is no longer interested in being the humble church mouse league. We are no longer interested in being small and obscure,” he said. “We are no longer interested in making do. We want to take the Canadian Football League to new heights.”Note to readers: This is a corrected version of an earlier story. Argos president Bill Manning made reference to the Philadelphia Eagles, not the Florida Eagles.
Feel cut off Loss of Greyhound bus service leaves few options in
Mohammed Idriss says the small city of Brooks in southern Alberta will get more isolated when Greyhound bus service ends across Western Canada in the fall.Greyhound has announced it will end all its routes in the West, save for one between Vancouver and Seattle, at the end of October.Brooks, with a population of about 14,450 is on the Trans-Canada Highway, but it’s 190 kilometres to Calgary toward the west and 110 kilometres to Medicine Hat in the east.“We already feel cut off to a degree because of the availability of some services in the big city only,” said Idriss, manager of Brooks and County Immigration Services.A large population of newcomers to Canada work in Brooks, about 90 per cent of them at a beef-processing facility owned by JBS Canada.Idriss estimates about 1,000 people moved to the community to work and many find getting out of town difficult.“There are people who have vehicles, but are not that comfortable going into a big city with their own vehicle, and they would just prefer taking public transportation,” he said.“I can’t give a good estimate of how big the impact will be, but we’re going to hear more once people start realizing there is no service any more.”Brooks Mayor Barry Morishita is disappointed with Greyhound’s decision.“I was on a Greyhound last night coming back from Calgary. It’s funny I was on one the day the news came out.“It’s going to have an impact on a number of people.”The loss of Greyhound is also a concern to Canada’s largest reserve. The sprawling Blood Indian Reserve in southwestern Alberta is home to 12,500 residents.Band spokesman Rick Tailfeathers said service has been going downhill since Greyhound stopped service to Fort Macleod, just 30 kilometres away.He said only about half of the band’s members own cars.“The good thing about (Greyhound) was people could afford a bus ticket,” he said. “Now people are going to have to find another way to travel.”In the north, bus service is relied on by many Indigenous people who travel to bigger cities for medical care.“It is already well documented that our citizens have to ride the bus for hours, some longer than 14 hours, in order to see a doctor. How will they get access to adequate health care now?” said Grand Chief Arlen Dumas of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.There were previous Greyhound cuts, such as in 2012, when the bus company stopped operating on a number of roads including Highway 2 in Manitoba.Rick Chrest, the mayor of Brandon, Man., said it’s a blow for people who don’t own vehicles because there is no rail service in many areas and access to passenger airlines is limited.Chrest is hopeful smaller private operators will step in, but that didn’t happen after the 2012 cuts.“This will take away yet another option for public transportation that certainly many people rely on,” Chrest said.“We might be hopeful that some other aspect of the private sector may start stepping up and filling the void.”Chrest pointed to a private firm that offers a shuttle bus that carries Brandon residents two hours east to the airport in Winnipeg. Brandon has an airport, but the only major scheduled service is a daily WestJet run to Calgary.Bus charter companies, which transport sports teams, might also find a niche in regular scheduled service, he suggested.Ontario-based Kasper Transportation, which provides service to Northwest Ontario and Manitoba, announced expansion plans Tuesday.In a Facebook post, it said it will be offering service from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay, Ont., Thompson, Man., Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, Sask., starting Oct. 31 — the day Greyhound shuts down its western operation.Greyhound currently services small communities across the sparsely populated Prairies. There are 46 stops alone during the 19-hour run from Winnipeg to Calgary — places such as MacGregor, Man., Sintaluta, Sask. and Bassano, Alta.— Follow @BillGraveland and @stevelambertwpg on TwitterNote to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version misspelled the community of Sintaluta
Provincial surplus rises as growth remains stable in BC finance minister
VICTORIA – The British Columbia government is forecasting a growing budget surplus and economic growth that will lead Canada in the coming year despite dropping real estate tax revenues and declining property sales.The latest budget update released Friday forecasts a budget surplus of $669 million, which is $450 million higher than was projected in February’s budget. Finance Minister Carole James said B.C.’s economic growth projections of 2.2 per cent this year and 1.8 per cent in 2019 are among the highest in Canada.James said she welcomed the most recent Finance Ministry data showing reduced revenues from property transfer taxes and sales declines since April.“I truly believe B.C. has to move away from an economy that is built on speculation in real estate to a more sustainable approach,” she said at a news conference.The financial update for the first three months of the fiscal year includes a decline in property transfer tax revenue of $250 million as property sales dropped by 19.4 per cent from April to June.Opposition Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson said he sees jobs losses and a sputtering economy in the near future.“Carole James is admitting that the only NDP plan is to shrink the real estate part of the economy, reduce the value of peoples houses and have a dramatic drop in the construction sector, and nothing is going to change in terms of affordability because prices are staying where they’ve been,” he said.James said the most recent numbers do not show declines in property prices.“The biggest risk to B.C.’s economic growth right now, one of the biggest risks, is the issue of unaffordable housing,” she said. “We aren’t able to attract employees. We aren’t able to retain people in business because of the increasing price in housing.”Last February, the province’s minority NDP government tried to ease the province’s housing crisis with a budget that introduced a new tax on property speculators, higher taxes on foreign home buyers and plans to create 114,000 affordable housing units over the next decade.James said the government doesn’t control all the factors that relate to housing, including interest rates and mortgages rules, but it does want property prices to moderate and vacancy rates to increase.The latest financial results “show that the housing market is moderating and we’re seeing strong growth and we’re continuing to see surpluses and we’re continuing to balance the budget,” she said.
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