Latest news with #Lefebvre
Ottawa Citizen
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Powassan Voodoos bring back West Nipissing native to bolster lineup
Article content The Powassan brought back a familiar local player to their offensive group with the addition of forward Jesse Lefebvre. Article content The Voodoos acquired the 19-year-old product from Sturgeon Falls from the Renfrew Wolves of the Central Canadian Hockey League for a development fee. Article content 'It's great to be back around the Bay,' said Lefebvre, a 2022 draft pick of the North Bay Battalion. Article content Article content The 5-foot-9, 160-pound forward had nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 50 games in the CCHL last season. Article content Article content In his rookie season of Junior 'A' hockey with the French River Rapids in 2023-24, Lefebvre had 13 goals and 24 assists for 37 points in 56 games. Article content In his final year of U18 hockey, Lefebvre racked up 19 goals and 28 assists for 47 points in 28 games with the U18 AAA Trappers, who won the Great North U18 title in 2022-23. Article content During that season with the U18 Trappers, Lefebvre played the majority of his time alongside current Voodoos players Justin Rousseau and Caleb Dawson. Article content 'We already have that connection so it will work right away.' Article content Lefebvre becomes the 6th member of that U18 Trappers championship team from 2022-23 to join the Voodoos for the upcoming season, joining Rousseau, Dawson, Cayden Kowal, Anthony Boyes and Heath Bradley. Article content Article content 'He will still have to blend well with guys that are here, but I like the way it is looking and super excited to have six guys off one team that came together and won a championship, that doesn't happen very often,' said Peter Goulet, Powassan Voodoos head coach. Article content Aside from his offence, Lefebvre is also known as an agitator who proudly boasts he models his game after Stanley Cup winner Brad Marchand of the Florida Panthers. Article content 'I have always been a Marchand fan and I always will be,' said Lefebvre.
Cision Canada
17-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Proaction International joins dss+ to accelerate organizational transformation globally Français
This strategic alliance combines the complementary expertise of the two companies to offer an integrated approach to organizational transformation. MONTREAL, July 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Proaction International, a Quebec-based firm specializing in operational performance management and leadership coaching, announced today it is joining dss +, a global leader in operations transformation, safety, risk management, and sustainability. This strategic partnership enables Proaction International to amplify the impact of its proven methodologies and its digital platform UTrakk by leveraging dss+'s well-established global presence and strong client relationships in key industries. "Joining dss+ marks a major milestone in our evolution," said Denis Lefebvre, CEO of Proaction International. "We are uniting with a partner that shares our core values: people development, operational discipline, and the pursuit of sustainable results. This alliance strengthens our international presence and brings together perfectly aligned expertise to drive lasting performance." Beyond their strategic alignment, Proaction International and dss+ have shared a core belief since their founding: that lasting performance transformation begins with people. This human-centered approach, which sets them apart from more traditional models, makes their union a natural evolution. It will offer clients a more comprehensive solution, underpinned by a shared vision and common values. By joining dss+, Proaction International will contribute to a more integrated transformation offering combining organizational culture, systems, daily management practices, safety & risk, sustainability and operational excellence. UTrakk, the digital platform developed by Proaction International to support management practices and enhance team performance, will complement the dss+ 360 digital ecosystem, expanding its reach and impact. Founded in 2004, Proaction International has more than 130 seasoned experts serving clients in the manufacturing, industrial, agri-food, aerospace, construction, healthcare, and retail sectors. The company is known for its human-centered approaches, on-the-ground coaching expertise, and leadership development. The strong cultural alignment between the two organizations was a key factor in this decision. Proaction International employees will gain access to new professional development opportunities within a global network of 1,700 experts operating in 41 countries. "We are proud to join a global partner that shares our mission and enables us to increase our impact while preserving the essence of our approach," added Mr. Lefebvre. "The future is bright—for our team, for our clients, and for the mission we will continue to pursue together." About Proaction International Proaction International is a leader in operational performance management and leadership coaching, relying on a human-centered approach to generate concrete, sustainable, and measurable results. Its digital platform, UTrakk, helps structure management practices and improve frontline team effectiveness. The company supports clients from various sectors, including manufacturing, agri-food, aerospace, automotive, construction, healthcare, and retail. Additional information is available at About dss+ dss+ is the operational transformation partner for complex and high-hazard industries. We help organisations achieve breakthroughs in safety, performance and sustainability that drive lasting success. Combining deep technical expertise and decades of hands-on experience with cutting-edge methodologies and data-driven insights, we empower teams to shift mindsets, shape cultures and build the capabilities needed at every level.
09-07-2025
- Health
Toxic algae blooms increasing in Arctic due to climate change, new study finds
Harmful algae blooms have been rapidly producing in a place previously too cold to host the toxin: the Arctic. And climate change over the last several decades is to blame, according to new research. Scientists have found a link between rising ocean temperatures and an increasing amount of toxins from algae blooms entering the marine food chain by analyzing the feces of bowhead whales in the Arctic, according to paper published Wednesday in Nature. Collaborations with native tribal communities in the Arctic helped researchers in their findings, said Kathi Lefebvre, a research biologist for NOAA fisheries at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle and lead of the Wildlife Algal Toxins Research & Response Network (WARRN-West). Researchers at WARRN-West have received fecal samples from 205 bowhead whales from the indigenous groups that were collected by either subsistence harvesting or found stranded in an unusual mortality event in the Beaufort Sea over the past 19 years, which put them in a unique position to monitor the progression of harmful algal blooms on the West Coast of North America, Lefebvre, lead author of the study, told ABC News. By studying the samples, the biologists could look at algal toxin concentrations in the food web, Lefebvre. The krill and copepods that ingest the toxins are then eaten by the bowhead whales, which are filter feeders. Over the past century, sea surface temperatures in the region have been rising, causing the amount of sea ice to shrink significantly. The warmer waters combined with more open water is leading to the higher concentrations of at least two algal toxins: Alexandrium, which are dinoflagellates that produce saxitoxin -- a neurotoxin that can cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning; as well as domoic acid, which is produced by Pseudo-nitzschia, a needle-like group of single-celled algae, and causes amnesic shellfish poisoning, according to the study. "We know from laboratory studies that these algae grow faster in warmer conditions," Lefebvre said. "There's more light because the open water is there and the ice is not reflecting the light." The cells have always been present in low concentrations in the Arctic, but the potential blooms are now larger, longer lasting and more toxic, Lefebvre said. Alexandrium drops cyst-like seeds that lay dormant in the sediments until conditions are right to produce. "So seeds have been dropping from these Alexandrian cells for hundreds, maybe thousands of years, and these seeds need a certain temperature to be able to germinate," she said. In the past, the bottom waters of the Arctic have been too cold for the cysts to germinate, but as the ocean warms, conditions are becoming ripe for reproduction. This is the first study of its kind to quantitatively show a direct link between climate change, sea ice loss and harmful algal bloom concentrations in the food web, Lefebvre said. The Arctic tribal communities that collected the samples are still fully reliant on marine resources for subsistence, Lefebvre said. "Marine resources are utilized for survival, for cultural practices, for economic well being, etc.," she said. "They've been doing this for thousands of years." In most places around the world, there are protections in place to test for these toxins for commercial seafood. But in the "vast remote" regions of the Arctic, such testing would be difficult to conduct on a regular basis, Lefebvre said. The communities harvest everything from clams, crabs, sea birds and anemones. "We're finding these toxins in all of these species," Lefebvre said. It is unclear how many whales in he Arctic have died as a result of harmful algae blooms, but walrus populations in the region, which feed on clams found at the bottom of the ocean, have been likely dying off as a result, Lefebvre said. Lefebvre has been studying harmful algae blooms for her entire career and was involved in the first-ever study in 1998 that found domoic acid was impacting marine mammals in Central California. Ever since, dozens to hundreds of marine animals have been documented to suffer from domoic acid poisoning every year, Lefebvre said.
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Hard-fought 2nd pleases Paddon
New Zealand rally driver Hayden Paddon, with Christchurch's Jared Hudson in the co-driver's seat, claimed a hard-fought second at the Ypres Rally in Belgium at the weekend. The Kiwis become the first non-Europeans to stand on the Ypres podium after the all-tarmac event. Paddon piloted a Hyundai i20N Rally2 car prepared by last year's Belgian Champions, BMA, in a field containing international stars such as Dani Sordo, Jos Verstappen, Freddy Loix and defending champion Stephane Lefebvre. It was all on from the outset as milliseconds separated the frontrunners at times. Paddon and Hudson won Saturday's second stage, putting them into the overall lead. Despite intense challenges from Sordo and Lefebvre, the Kiwis' consistency at delivering top-three stage times throughout all of the day's eight stages kept them in the lead by day's end. On Sunday, with 10 stages to tackle, Lefebvre chipped away at Paddon's lead to top the standings by special stage three. Paddon and Hudson kept the pressure on and were stoked to finish on the podium, just 10.3sec behind Lefebvre. "We always knew it was going to be tough challenge this weekend being up against very fast locals and previous winners," Paddon said. "Our goal was to try and get a podium finish, so we're pleased to have done that. "To be fighting for victory was probably more than we expected, particularly to be leading the rally for half of it. "We put up a good fight and tried everything we could. We didn't quite have enough at the end but, still, to be only 10sec shy of the winners was a good weekend for the team and car." Paddon will be straight back into action at Rally Queensland this weekend. He and longtime co-driver John Kennard resume their bid to win their first Australian Rally Championship titles. They lead their respective drivers'/co-drivers' championship points tables. Paddon has 160 points after two rounds, seven points ahead of second-placed Lewis Bates. Kennard also has 160 points, ahead of Bates' co-driver, Anthony McLoughlin. Queensland is the third round of the six-round Australian championship, and comprises 14 special stages and about 193 competitive kilometres. — APL
Global News
21-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
Ontario city skyline to undergo drastic change after ‘iconic' landmark toppled
For years, residents and visitors to Sudbury, Ont., knew they were approaching the Nickel City when they saw the Inco Superstack. 'For us, it's a beacon in our community,' Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre told Global News. 'You see Superstacks, you're near home, right? You're almost there because you can see it from pretty far away.' But the skyline of Sudbury is undergoing a drastic change as plans are underway by current owner Vale Base Metals (VBM) to tear down the structure, as well as its neighbouring copper sister. The company has made the Superstack and its little copper sister obsolete by finding more environmentally friendly way of dealing with emissions. Before the arrival of the chimney, which residents refer to as 'the Smokestack,' Sudbury was known as an environmental disaster, as spewing toxins made vegetation and wildlife in the area disappear. Story continues below advertisement 'Vegetation could not survive,' Lefebvre said. 'And certainly in the Copper Cliff area (where the mine is located) was really bad.' Then came the Superstack in 1972. Standing more than 1,250 Ft. high, it was, for a short time, the largest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere until it was surpassed by the CN Tower. Until it disappears, it will remain the largest chimney in Canada. 'If you look at the history of why it was built, it was just to get the sulphur to go further instead of having it landing right beside the community,' Lefebvre said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He noted that while that was a major innovation for its time, things have continued to evolve. In 2010, VBM, which acquired Inco in 2006, first announced the Clean AER Project, which would see the towering chimneys replaced with environmentally friendly and efficient methods of dealing with nickel extraction. 'The Superstack and Copperstack have been iconic landmarks in Greater Sudbury for decades,' said Gord Gilpin, director of Ontario operations for VBM. 'While we appreciate that the city's landscape will look different after these structures are dismantled, our business has evolved and improved over time and this project is part of that evolution. We are modernizing our facilities and reducing our environmental footprint and, in so doing, laying the groundwork to ensure that our next century of mining in Sudbury is as successful as our first 100 years.' Story continues below advertisement The company says the move will eliminate 100,000 metric tonnes of sulphur dioxide emissions each year (equivalent to 1,000 railway tanker cars of sulphuric acid). It will also see the end of the Superstack and its copper counterpart, as they were decommissioned in 2020, and have been dormant ever since. The company is just about finished with the demolition of the smaller Copperstack and is expected to turn its attention to the Superstack this summer. 'It's a massive undertaking of how they're going to do this,' Lefebvre said. 'They had to prep for it the last five years and here we are, we're on the cusp of it.' The company says it will take about five years to pull down the towers and while some have argued that the towers should remain as a tribute to the city's mining history and effort to clean up, the mayor said that is not a realistic option. 'There are some folks in the community that think we should keep it, but again, it's not ours, right?' he said. 'It's the company's and it's a liability, because if they just leave it there, the whole thing will rust and the inside will, then it becomes a liability.' Lefebvre also noted that the structure sits atop an active nickel mine, so there is no way it could ever be an attraction for people to visit and would be something that would need to be admired from afar. Story continues below advertisement While he is sad to see it go, the mayor noted that it is a weird twist that a place that once held such a bleak landscape would hold such an important stake in the world's environment. 'The irony of all this is now Sudbury, that was one of the most polluted places back in the '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s, is now obviously contributing enormously with our critical minerals to our environment,' he said. 'All electric vehicles and all battery, it needs nickel and we are the ones providing that across our entirety in the world.'
