Saskatoon lowers expectations for snow removal response on some roads
WATCH: Saskatoon councillors are calling on administrators to come up with a plan to speed up the city's snow removal response.
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National Post
13 minutes ago
- National Post
Chief justice says he does not know who donated lifelike bust displayed in Supreme Court
OTTAWA — Chief Justice Richard Wagner, who promised a new era of transparency for the Supreme Court, could not say which private interest donated a lifelike bronze bust of himself that sits prominently in the building's grand entrance hall. Article content During his annual press conference Tuesday, Wagner also questioned how the gift could raise concerns of conflict of interest. Article content Article content Article content 'I don't know who paid for that, so how can there be a conflict of interest?' Wagner responded to National Post's questions. Article content Article content Last July, National Post reported that the Supreme Court would not say which private interest had donated a lifelike bronze sculpture of Wagner to the court. The sculptor of the bust said at the time that he usually charges $18,000 for a piece like the chief justice's. Article content Court watchers and lawyers told National Post at the time that the donation raised concerns of an appearance of conflict of interest and questioned the wisdom of not informing judges and the public of its provenance. Article content There is a longstanding tradition of busts of chief justices appearing in the Grand Entrance Hall, but Wagner's sculpture differs from his predecessors' in two key ways. Article content First, his bust is the only one that has no indication either on the inscription or the court's website of who donated it to the court. Article content Second, his sculpture is the first to be displayed publicly before his departure from the court. Article content Article content During the press conference, Wagner repeated a previous statement from the court that the bust's donor requested to remain anonymous and added that he did not know who had paid for it. Article content Article content But he did not explain why the court has not disclosed any information at all about the donor behind his sculpture, unlike those of his predecessor. Article content 'I was told that there was a tradition at the Supreme Court that the bust of all the chief justices is made. And I was told that… it is paid by a foundation or individual which wants to remain anonymous. That's what I was told,' he said. 'I have no more explanation. That's all I can tell you.' Article content The suggestion that Wagner — who posed for pictures for the sculptor and has been photographed next to the bust — has no idea who paid for the sculpture is also raising eyebrows across the legal and judiciary community. The chief justice's ignorance of the provenance of the bust also raises risks that it was donated by a potentially embarrassing source that should have no ties to the court.
CBC
17 minutes ago
- CBC
Sask. ombudsman calls out province's 'delays in response' to wildfire evacuees
Social Sharing Saskatchewan's ombudsman Sharon Pratchler says the provincial government's response to wildfire evacuations needs to improve. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Pratchler said she has been hearing calls from evacuees living in cars, tents and parking lots without access to basic needs like food or shelter, or clear information about where they should go and who is supposed to support them. "Your process to provide services to those people who have been displaced from the homes in northern Saskatchewan are not working for many of them," Pratchler said. WATCH | Denare Beach evacuee living in camper, uncertain about future or support: Denare Beach evacuee living in camper, uncertain about future or support 3 hours ago Duration 2:11 Many evacuees say they are confused and getting the run-around from support agencies as they seek assistance after being displaced by wildfires in northern Saskatchewan. Pratchler said her office has received numerous calls from people confused about where to go due to a lack of organization. "We believe that people would be better able to manage the situation when they understand that there is a plan in place, and what that plan is and how it affects them," she said. Pratchler issued 14 immediate calls to action to improve supports for evacuees. They include ensuring the 24/7 help hotline is properly staffed, a database of all evacuation sites, spaces for doctors to see patients and information on a long-term plan for rehousing those who have lost their homes. She said these calls to action are urgent. "The delays in response and accesses to services to meet basic needs, a safe place to sleep and food has fuelled distrust," Pratchler said. Pratcher promised a formal investigation into the government's handling of the crisis. "There will be a review by my office later on, but the focus right now is on immediate needs," she said. As of noon CST Tuesday, there were 23 active wildfires in the province, with five considered contained, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.
CBC
17 minutes ago
- CBC
'It's happening. It's real': Northlander passenger train on track to return next year
Some 14 years after it was scrapped by the previous Liberal government and eight years after the current Progressive Conservative promised to bring it back, the Northlander passenger train is set to return in 2026. "Literally we are on track as we speak," said Al Spacek, chair of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission said. "The equipment is being manufactured and we've seen some exciting developments. Our staff have been down to the manufacturing facility. So it's happening. It's real." Spacek said the passenger service will be fully accessible, complete with Wi-Fi for guests. He also added that improvements are being made to the rail track. "This government has already invested over $70 million on upgrading the track between North Bay and Timmins," he said. "It will be a nice, smooth ride and this only represents 42 per cent of the work that's being planned on the track." Spacek said it's not yet known exactly how much it will cost to bring the Northlander back, but said the provincial government has spent "hundreds of millions of dollars" so far. "We've come a long way since the previous government said they're going to shut down this service," he said. "I'm not sure there was a lack of demand or ridership... certainly that was a decision by the previous government to shut it down for whatever reasons." Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne did indeed cite low ridership and high costs in 2012, when her government decided to scrap the Northlander passenger train and redirect that funding into Ontario Northland's passenger bus service. In 2011, the Northlander had 39,000 riders, with an annual subsidy of $100 million keeping the train running. By comparison, the 2022 business case for bringing back the train estimated annual operating costs at around $283 million, with as much as $93 million in revenues, if they hit a target of 58,000 riders by 2041. "Ticket prices haven't been determined yet, but this is a public transportation service so the cost will be subsidized. Affordability is a priority," said Spacek. "It's a right that people have access to public transportation. Passenger service doesn't make money. That's the fact of life."
