Latest news with #McIsaac
CBC
09-04-2025
- CBC
Chipman-area murder trial delayed over additional evidence
A trial for two people accused of murdering a New Brunswick man has been delayed over the need for lawyers to review newly disclosed evidence in the case. Joshua McIsaac and Erica Blyth were supposed to go on trial on April 23 for first-degree murder in the death of Brandon Donelan.. However, on Wednesday, Court of King's Bench Justice Richard Petrie agreed to delay the trial to allow Crown and defence lawyers time to review additional evidence that has surfaced in the case. "An adjournment of a trial of this magnitude is a big deal. It's something we try to avoid at all costs," said Crown prosecutor James McConnell, noting the impact on the victim's family. "It's not something that we would raise lightly, but in order to have a fair trial, unfortunately, it's unavoidable." Donelan's body was found in a wooded area between Minto and Chipman on March 31, 2022, about two months after he'd been reported as missing. McIsaac and Blyth were jointly charged with first-degree murder, and six weeks had been set aside later this month for their jury trial. McConnell agreed to review the new evidence and return to court on April 23 to provide it to defence lawyers for their own review. A publication ban prevents CBC News from reporting on the nature of the evidence ahead of the trial. Nathan Gorham, lawyer for McIsaac, and TJ Burke, lawyer for Blyth, both agreed to the delay, and confirmed their clients would waive their Charter right to be tried within a reasonable time. Given the amount of new information that must be reviewed, both parties agreed not to schedule new trial dates until sometime after their next appearance. McIsaac and Blyth appeared at the Burton courthouse in person for Wednesday's proceedings. The two have been in custody since being charged in June 2023.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
6 Children and Pregnant Woman Among 13 Hospitalized After Apartment Explosion
Six children were among the 13 people injured during an early morning explosion at a Detroit apartment building, authorities said. The Detroit Fire Department responded to a 911 call at a 12-unit apartment building around 4 a.m. local time on Monday, March 31, Corey McIsaac, the department's director of media relations, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. "Thankfully due to our teams getting there so fast, everyone was rescued from the building," he added. As of 1:30 p.m., a 27-year-old woman, a 28-year-old man and a 3-year-old girl remained in critical condition, McIsaac said. They are all being treated for burns. A 26-year-old pregnant woman is still being monitored. The other transported individuals received treatment and have been released. After the initial explosion, resident Steffen Moore told Fox affiliate WJBK that he thought someone had crashed into the building. Related: Pilot in 'Serious' Condition After Plane Hits the Ground and Shatters in Front of Shocked Crowd at Airshow: 'It Was Awful' "I thought it was just somebody had crashed into the building literally, but then you look at it and there's no fire, there's none of that," Moore told the outlet. "It sounded like a bomb. Because I didn't smell any smoke, I don't see any fire. You don't smell any chemicals.' After the explosion occurred, crew members from the fire department helped trapped residents vacate the second floor, authorities said. In a news conference, Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms told reporters that without the quick action by firefighters, the injuries would have been worse, according to the Detroit Free Press. Simms noted that some residents were attempting to jump out of windows, but were saved by crew members. Related: 82-Year-Old Fisherman Was Trapped in Mud for Hours Until Help Arrived One man, who had six relatives in the building, shared what it was like for his loved ones to be trapped on the second floor. 'My son and my two grandkids were on this side right here. They had to get them out through the window. They were stuck in there," the grandfather told ABC affiliate WXYZ. He added, 'They had to get them out through the window. They live on the top. So they were stuck in there, they couldn't get down, so they had to go and get them through the back way." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. After the building was vacated, the fire department used drones to conduct thermal imaging to confirm that no one else was inside, officials said. The building was set to be demolished that same day because it was so unstable, authorities said. The city's construction and demolition department was on the scene that morning to take down the building in partnership with investigators to determine the cause of the explosion. An investigation is ongoing. Read the original article on People
CBC
19-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
'Prehab' before surgery means less time in hospital, better patient outcomes, P.E.I. researcher says
Getting better quickly after a surgery isn't just a matter of how well the procedure went. New research shows that patients, especially older adults, can significantly improve their recovery by preparing for surgery in advance. This approach is called prehabilitation, or prehab — a program that includes exercise, better nutrition, psychological support, and cognitive training to help position patients to recover faster. Dr. Daniel McIsaac, originally from Mermaid, P.E.I., is among the people leading a systematic review of prehab published last month. He works in the departments of anesthesiology and pain medicine at Ottawa Hospital. For the review, McIsaac and his co-authors at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, McGill University in Montreal and St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto analyzed data from 15,000 patients receiving planned surgeries, as opposed to operations needed on an emergency basis. They have noticed many benefits for patients who participate in prehab programs, the University of Ottawa professor said. "We're seeing people get out of hospital a day or two sooner, which is a pretty big impact, if you think about the number of surgeries and patients going through hospitals," he told CBC's Island Morning. "Once people are getting home, they're having a better ability to walk and get around and be independent at home, and whenever we ask them about their overall quality of life, they're having really meaningful improvements in quality of life as well." Why it matters McIsaac said his interest in prehab comes from his experience as an anesthesiologist; he has seen many patients, especially older ones, struggle to recover from major surgery. He wanted to understand how more people could have successful outcomes. Preparing for surgery starts with the most important decision, he said: whether or not to proceed with the operation. He stressed the need for a thorough discussion with a surgeon about the potential benefits, risks and alternatives, calling that especially crucial for older patients with multiple health conditions. For those who choose to go ahead, the real work of prehab begins. While it seems like common sense that exercising and eating better before an operation will help, McIsaac said the stress of preparing for surgery – including attending appointments, undergoing tests and dealing with anxiety – often makes it hard for patients to change their habits on their own. This patient used 'prehab' before a surgery — and it helped keep him motivated through challenges 27 days ago Duration 1:57 Christopher Wanczycki, who took part in a prehab program of exercises before colorectal cancer surgery in 2022, says the program started with gradual exercises and levelled up — with support from a professional — over time. That's where structured prehab programs come in. "How do we get them to start exercising and keep exercising when they haven't been already? How do we get them to change their diet and get a lot more protein into it?" he said. "People need help to make these big changes as they get ready for surgery during that stressful time." McIsaac said successful prehab usually requires at least three to four weeks. Given current wait times for surgery, this actually presents an opportunity for patients to engage in prehab, he added. Integrating prehab into health-care system McIsaac hopes prehabilitation can one day become a standard part of the health-care system. Ideally, as soon as patients decide to have surgery and leave the surgeon's office, they would receive information about prehab and get enrolled in a program, he said. "Once they're in that program, they're going to need support on a fairly regular basis to check in and make sure that they're doing their exercises… Some people may need to get sent into a gym for support. Some people can do that from home," he said. "The other thing is just the nutrition, making sure they're getting about a gram to a gram and a half of protein per kilogram of body weight a day. That way, their body is going to be better set to heal after the big surgery that they're going to have." McIsaac and his team are conducting large-scale, randomized trials across Canada to further explore the impact of prehab. Their goal is to present this data to health ministers and hospital leaders to advocate for integrating prehab into standard surgical care.
