Thief who sawed into gun safe, sold stolen rifle to undercover cop gets 5 years in prison
A statue of Themis, Goddess of Justice, in the B.C. Supreme Court building in downtown Vancouver on June 26, 2024 (Zak Vescera / Investigative Journalism Foundation and CTV News)
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CBC
31 minutes ago
- CBC
Purchase of land in Point Deroche 'monumental,' says P.E.I. conservation group
The Island Nature Trust is celebrating the conservation of land that it says has deep historical, cultural and ecological significance along P.E.I.'s North Shore. The not-for-profit organization recently finalized the purchase of nearly 81 hectares in the Point Deroche area, about 30 kilometres northeast of Charlottetown. The land that sits just off the eastern edge of Point Deroche Pond includes a beach, dunes, a peat bog, marshland and forests, along with an abundance of wildlife. "It's a monumental and historical acquisition," said Simon Andrea, Island Nature Trust's land acquisition manager. "There's not many parcels that are forested, that don't have homes on them, that are over 200 acres on P.E.I., so to be able to protect one of those in Queens County is super special." In a social media post, the group said recent events at Point Deroche "have once again led to calls for increased land and coastal protection" in the province. That's in reference to a vacation home that was built in the area that sparked public concern around buffer zones and shoreline access. The massive stone armouring installed at the site to help protect the property from erosion blocks access to a public beach. In 2022, the controversy led then-environment minister Steven Myers to implement a provincial moratorium on shoreline development. The parcel Island Nature Trust purchased has nothing to do with that vacation home property — Andrea said the land was bought from descendants of the original landowners, whose claim to the property dates back to the 1880s. He said open-market land purchases are something Island Nature Trust has been able to do more often recently thanks to funding from the provincial and federal governments, and from organizations like the ECHO and MapleCross foundations. "[Landowners are] on the open market, they want to sell their land, which is fair," Andrea said. "When they hear Island Nature Trust is buying it to conserve it, they do get excited, and we're really happy to have that conversation with them." More land purchased The area holds historical significance not just for the province, but also for Island Nature Trust as an organization. The group was founded in 1979 after a proposed resort development near Point Deroche Pond faced public protest. As a result, the P.E.I. government of the day purchased two properties off MacDonald Road, near Blooming Point Beach, and leased them to Island Nature Trust as its first natural area in 1982. 'Mix of ecosystems' The ultimate goal, said Andrea, is to join this new parcel with the organization's existing properties into one connected preservation area. He said talks are underway with landowners in the area to help make that happen. In fact, during an event Saturday at Blooming Point Beach to celebrate the 81-hectare acquisition, Andrea announced that the trust is finalizing the purchase of an additional 25 hectares along the north side of the pond. While there are no plans to build walking trails on the new Point Deroche land at this point, the public is encouraged to visit the site to see all of its natural wonders. "We know that people like to use the pond for hunting, fishing and canoeing, so the more land that we protect out there the more the water in the pond will become healthier," Andrea said. "That mix of ecosystems isn't something you see in your typical acquisition, so it holds an amazing amount of wildlife habitat."
CBC
31 minutes ago
- CBC
P.E.I. Young Farmers Association hires 1st staff member to support next generation of growers
Social Sharing The Prince Edward Island Young Farmers Association, which for decades was run by volunteers from top to bottom, has now hired its first employee as it seeks to support and attract young agricultural professionals. Jamie Ward was recently hired as the association's first program co-ordinator. The part-time role is funded through core funding from the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture. Ward graduated from Holland College's Environmental Applied Science Technology program recently and is continuing her education at UPEI, concentrating on environmental studies. With strong family ties to potato farming in the western part of the province, she said the new role is a natural fit. "It was just my initiative to always try to put a positive impact on the industry, especially having such an interest and such a love for the agriculture industry ever since I was a young kid," Ward told CBC's Island Morning. 'This has been huge for us' As program co-ordinator, Ward will help with governance and financial administration, manage events and advocacy work, and provide administrative and communications support. She'll also focus on building relationships within the sector and increasing mentorship and educational opportunities for young farmers across the province. Robert Larsen, president of the association, said hiring a staff person is a major milestone. The association currently has about 130 members, including young farmers and agricultural professionals. "This has been huge for us," Larsen said. "We're really excited about the next 18 months, next two years, next three years. "We want to keep pushing the needle as best we can, and this will just ensure the long-term sustainability of this organization that will exist well beyond my generation as a young farmer." Listening to young farmers' concerns Part of Ward's role involves hearing directly from young farmers about the challenges they face. A farmer himself, Larsen said the financial barriers to anyone wanting to enter the industry are steep, especially with land prices continuing to rise. "We talk about barriers all the time, and at the end of the day, a lot of it, I think, is capital," he said. To address those concerns, the association has developed a three-phase strategy to consult with members and develop policy recommendations, with Ward supporting that work. The goal is to advocate for solutions with government and industry stakeholders. Agriculture Minister Bloyce Thompson, who played a key role in establishing the new position, agrees young Island farmers face significant obstacles. He said the province will continue listening and exploring potential solutions. "When we see land prices increasing, whether it's low-interest loans for our young farmers, or whether it's looking at different other policies that will help establish and help the exiting farmer as well — that's their retirement... It's a balancing act here," Thompson said. Thompson noted the province has introduced initiatives like the R. Elmer MacDonald Agricultural Scholarship to help P.E.I. residents pursue post-secondary studies in agriculture at Dalhousie University's Faculty of Agriculture in Truro, N.S. That's the institution that used to be the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Another major challenge is farm succession. Thompson said he's aware how challenging and expensive the process can be, and said the province is committed to working with Island farmers to make it easier. "We have to make it easier," he said. "That's what we want to include the young farmers for. You know, we want to ask them, how will this work? How do you see it working? So we can change our regulations or policies to help build that framework that can make succession easier and more attainable." Looking ahead For now, the association has a series of summer farm tours lined up. The first event is scheduled for July 19 and will include visits to three farms managed by young people in West Prince. More dates will follow, with information available on the association's Facebook and Instagram pages.
Winnipeg Free Press
35 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump, frustrated with some judges, lashes out at former ally and conservative activist Leonard Leo
NEW YORK (AP) — Conservative legal activist Leonard Leo helped President Donald Trump transform the federal judiciary in his first term. He closely advised Trump on his Supreme Court picks and is widely credited as the architect of the conservative majority responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade. But Trump last week lashed out at Leo, blaming his former adviser and the group Leo used to head for encouraging him to appoint judges who are now blocking his agenda. Trump called Leo, the former longtime leader of the conservative Federalist Society, a 'real 'sleazebag'' and 'bad person who, in his own way, probably hates America.' Trump's broadsides came after a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of International Trade blocked his sweeping tariffs, ruling that he had overstepped his authority when he invoked the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare a national emergency and levy tariffs on imports from almost every country in the world. While an appeals court soon intervened and allowed the administration to continue collecting the tariffs while the legal fight plays out, the decision — and Trump's fury at Leo — underscored the extent to which the judiciary is serving as a rare check on Trump's power as he pushes the bounds of executive authority. The judiciary has intervened as he has ordered mass deportations, deep cuts to university funding and the firing of federal workers en masse. Trump's words reflect his broad frustrations with the judiciary, including members of the Supreme Court he appointed on Leo's recommendation, who have allowed some of his more controversial efforts to move forward, but blocked others. Trump's rhetoric also appeared to be a tactic to shift blame for setbacks to his agenda — this time notably pointing the finger at a person who once helped Trump build credibility with conservative voters. But it's unclear what — if anything — Leo had to do with the tariff decision. Leo said that neither he nor the Federalist Society was involved in shaping appointments to the trade court. He offered only praise for Trump. 'I'm very grateful for President Trump transforming the Federal Courts, and it was a privilege being involved,' he said in a statement. 'There's more work to be done, for sure, but the Federal Judiciary is better than it's ever been in modern history, and that will be President Trump's most important legacy.' Trump's attacks Trump's fury came via Truth Social after the court tried to halt the central plank of the president's economic agenda: sweeping tariffs that have rattled global financial markets, dismayed longtime trading partners, and prompted warnings about higher prices and inflation. In response, Trump issued a lengthy and angry missive criticizing the judges behind the decision, accusing them of 'destroying America' and saying he hoped the Supreme Court would quickly reverse 'this horrible, Country threatening decision.' Trump then referred to his first term as president, saying he 'was new to Washington, and it was suggested that I use The Federalist Society as a recommending source on Judges. I did so, openly and freely, but then realized that they were under the thumb of a real 'sleazebag' named Leonard Leo, a bad person who, in his own way, probably hates America, and obviously has his own separate ambitions.' 'I am so disappointed in The Federalist Society because of the bad advice they gave me on numerous Judicial Nominations,' he wrote. 'This is something that cannot be forgotten!' He added: 'Backroom 'hustlers' must not be allowed to destroy our Nation!' Some conservatives, including legal scholars, have been among those pushing back against Trump's trade wars, arguing the Constitution makes clear the power of the purse belongs to Congress, not the president. In April, the New Civil Liberties Alliance, a nonprofit group that Bloomberg Law reported is affiliated with Leo and Charles Koch, filed a separate lawsuit challenging Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports, also accusing him of acting in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. That move earned the ire of prominent Trump backers like Laura Loomer, who accused both Leo and the Federalist Society of working to undermine the president. The panel Trump assailed included judges appointed by Presidents Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan, as well as Timothy Reif, whom Trump nominated to the trade court during his first term. Reif, a Democrat, had previously worked for the U.S. Trade Representative in both the Obama and Trump administrations. In a questionnaire submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of his confirmation process, Reif described working on a long list of Democratic campaigns. He volunteered on Edward Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1980, driving the press van in Kennedy's motorcade. He served as press secretary for John Lindsay's Senate campaign in 1980 and volunteered for New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt's reelection effort in 2000, when his responsibilities included 'driving and accompanying candidate's mother to campaign events.' He also volunteered for John Kerry in 2024 and Obama in 2008, and donated small amounts years ago to the Clintons and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He appears to have participated in one Federalist Society-affiliated event: a panel on international trade in 2011 held by the Georgetown Law Student Chapter. The Federalist Society and Reif did not respond to requests for comment Friday. The White House did not respond to questions about why Trump blamed Leo and the Federalist Society for the decision, but Taylor Rogers, a White House spokesperson, doubled down, calling Leo 'a bad person who cares more about his personal ambitions than our country.' 'These judges must ditch their corrupt allegiance to Leonard and do the right thing for the American people before they completely destroy the credibility of our judicial branch,' she said. Who is Leonard Leo? Leo is not a household name, but few people have done more to advance conservative legal causes in the U.S. via a sprawling network of conservative groups. Decades ago, he began to execute a plan to build a pipeline for conservative talent, working to identify, support and promote law school students and lawyers who shared his originalist view of the Constitution, and helping them reach the nation's most powerful courts. Such efforts have reshaped the courts and Republican politics, culminating in Trump's first term with the appointment of three conservative Supreme Court justices. Leo's work also has prompted protests outside his home. The Federalist Society got its start on college campuses when Reagan was president. It was conceived as a way to counter what its members saw as liberal domination of the nation's law-school faculties. During his 2016 campaign, as Trump worked to win over social conservatives wary of electing a thrice-married New York businessman, he promised that the Federalist Society would oversee his judicial nominations, assuring their non-liberal bona fides. 'We're going to have great judges, conservative, all picked by the Federalist Society,' Trump told Breitbart News radio. And indeed, all three of the Supreme Court Justices Trump went on to nominate had appeared on a list famously compiled by Leo, who took a leave of absence as executive vice president of the society to serve as an outside adviser in the selection process. Leo has since stepped back from the Federalist Society and is now working to extend his reach beyond the courts with the Teneo Network, which he has described as an effort to 'crush liberal dominance' and create pipelines of conservative talent 'in all sectors of American life,' including Hollywood, entertainment, business and finance.
