Latest news with #Sask
Epoch Times
11-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Cory Morgan: Political Leaders Have a Tough Game to Play as Western Separatist Movement Gains Steam
Commentary Newly minted Prime Minister Mark Carney emerged relatively unscathed from his first meeting with President Donald Trump. Now, he must deal with a budding national unity crisis as separatist support in Western Canada has blossomed. If Carney had been hoping for a post-electoral grace period in office, those hopes have been dashed. Angus Reid's polling Alberta Premier While 36 percent support for provincial independence isn't enough for a referendum win, it's a significant segment of the population and can't be dismissed. Carney has a difficult task ahead of him in trying to defuse Western regionalism while remaining true to his policy statements. Smith's demands put him between a rock and a hard place. He can't afford to dawdle lest the minority of independence supporters in Alberta continues to grow. Some of Smith's demands could be met quickly and relatively easily. The much-despised Impact Assessment Act could be repealed and replaced with an updated version allowing more realistic timelines for pipeline projects. The tanker ban has always been more a symbolic policy than a working one, as no Canadian ports are capable of loading or unloading oil tankers North of Vancouver. It could be lifted without fears of tanker ships suddenly running up and down the coastline. Some of the clean energy regulations can be lifted as well. Related Stories 5/3/2025 4/29/2025 Some of Premier Smith's other demands are trickier. Smith has demanded guarantees for pipeline access to the East Coast of Canada. While polls indicate Quebec has become more supportive of the concept of a pipeline crossing the province of late, the The Liberal government has been politically invested in its net-zero car mandate for years. If it lifts the mandate as per Smith's demands, it will lose face and could run up against issues with subsidized auto part manufacturers. The proposed emissions cap is a strong line in the sand for Smith as well, and it looks unlikely the federal government is willing to move on it. The Angus Reid poll shows support for provincial independence among UCP supporters at 65 percent. In Saskatchewan, support for independence among Sask. Party supporters is at 59 percent. The premiers of both provinces may not personally support separatism, but they can't afford to ignore the wishes of such large segments of their bases. In allowing referendums on independence in Alberta and possibly Saskatchewan, Scott Moe and Danielle Smith are providing an outlet for secessionist-minded citizens while not committing to the concept. With independence referendums pending on the horizon for a year or more, it is likely that the issue of Western alienation will not be cooling down any time soon. Separatism won't simply be an expression of rage shortly after an election outcome, but will establish itself as a Western movement even if it only has minority support. Canada is deeply, regionally divided, and the political posturing of the Western premiers and the prime minister over the next few years will impact the future of the nation. There has never been a referendum held on independence in the West, and ignoring the possibility of a positive vote for secession would be foolhardy. The political leaders have a tough game to play. Carney must practice balanced, domestic diplomacy in trying to assuage Western separatism without alienating his electoral base in Eastern Canada. Smith and Moe could leverage some strong policy concessions from the federal government, but could lose support if they appear to be too supportive of separatist elements in their respective parties. Carney has become Canada's prime minister during a critical juncture in the country's history. He could become a national unifier, or he could preside over the shattering of the federation. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 Saskatoon players clinch spots in 1st FIFA Futsal World Cup
Canada Soccer's women's futsal national team — which features three Saskatoon players — won the inaugural CONCACAF women's futsal championship in Guatemala City last weekend, clinching a spot in the first-ever FIFA Futsal World Cup. Futsal is often compared to indoor soccer, but played in a smaller court with a few different rules. The fast-paced game has made its mark internationally, but is still growing in Canada and across the province. Saskatoon's Erica Hindmarsh, Jadyn Steinhauer and Jade Houmphanh are three of the 14 Team Canada players who beat Panama 8-2 to win the championship. University of Saskatchewan Huskie Coach Jenson Barandica-Hamilton also joined the team as an assistant coach. Barandica-Hamilton said he was "amazed" when the team, which had only started playing together earlier this year, was able to secure the win. "I don't think it has fully sunk in yet," he said. "What we were able to accomplish is really mind-blowing in a way, considering we beat some countries who had been preparing for years for this event, whereas our program is a very new program." Alex Derosa, head coach for the Canadian team, was given the opportunity to compete in the tournament at the beginning of January and did not start assembling the team until the middle of February, Barandica-Hamilton said. "It's a very, very quick turnaround in terms of putting together a national team and going to compete at international level," he said. Players like Humphrey, Hindmarsh and Steinhauer have been participating in futsal during their off-seasons from soccer, building on their decision making, technical ability, speed of play and creativity, Barandica-Hamilton said. MEDIA: 3 Sask. players help take home 1st women's futsal championship for Canada: Houmphanh, a defender for the team, was finishing one of her nursing shifts when she received a call from Barandica-Hamilton [her coach on the Huskies], who told her she would be one of the 14 girls invited to play on Team Canada. She said it "felt like a very surreal moment." Houmphanh first got into futsal for fun in 2016 after a former coach introduced it to her. Houmphanh said many people on the national team were surprised to see people from Saskatchewan playing, as most players were from Quebec and Montreal. "I feel like myself and my other two teammates that got selected have very unique qualities about ourselves that helped us stand out at the camp and then make the final roster." The team had no expectations coming into the competition and wanted to see "where they stood," Houmphanh said. In its first game against Costa Rica, Team Canada lost 2-3. Despite the result, the players gained confidence. "I think that really solidified us to just see the level that we were at compared to other teams." The team went on to win four straight games to win the tournament. Houmphanh said she hopes the success from winning the championship will show it pays to invest in women's sports and give women different opportunities to progress in their athletic careers. "I feel like sometimes we're overlooked compared to the bigger provinces," she said. "But there is talent, and there's a lot of good programs going on that is building the sport in our province." Team Canada is now set to compete at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup in the Philippines starting on Nov. 21. Barandica-Hamilton expects a "massive challenge" for his team, which will compete against countries that have professional futsal leagues like Costa Rica, Portugal, Mexico and Brazil. "But as I said, we're a team that is very 'live in the moment,' are very 'pride in what we do', and and we hope to represent well."
CTV News
01-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
‘Webcams don't replace doctors': Concerns raised over Sask. virtual physician program
WATCH: Concerns are being expressed in the Sask. legislature over the growing use of virtual care at rural emergency rooms. Wayne Mantyka explains.
CTV News
01-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Concerns expressed over virtual healthcare in Sask.
WATCH: Concerns are being expressed in the Sask. legislature over the growing use of virtual care at rural emergency rooms. Wayne Mantyka explains.
CBC
27-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Free naloxone nasal spray needed to deal with Sask. overdose spike, say front-line groups
Sask. government says it's considering whether to publicly fund nasal spray Caption: Sarah Kozusko, store operator and pharmacist at Queen City Wellness Pharmacy in Regina, Sask., holds a box of nalaxone nasal spray in one hand and a publicly-funded naloxone injection kit in her other hand on March 26, 2025. (Germain Wilson/CBC News) An alarming spike in overdoses in Saskatoon has some front-line workers calling on the Saskatchewan government to expand its Take Home Naloxone program to include the more user-friendly nasal spray, not just injection kits. Free naloxone nasal spray is offered in Ontario, Quebec, the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Unlike the more invasive injectable version, the overdose-reversing medication is sprayed directly into the nose. "Some people just are not going to feel comfortable using the needles and if that is something that stops somebody from using naloxone, or carrying naloxone, then that's a barrier that we should get rid of," Sarah Kozusko, pharmacy manager at Queen City Wellness in Regina, said. Her pharmacy is one of the nearly 300 locations in the province — including health clinics, certain pharmacies and community based organizations — where people can pick up free injectable naloxone. Kozusko said she believes the lack of publicly-funded nasal spray is preventing more people from carrying the life-saving medication. A take-home nasal kit with two nasal sprays costs around $72, whereas the injection kit with two needles that's covered by the province retails around $50. 'We haven't made a decision' On Wednesday afternoon, the province's minister of mental health and addictions said the province is considering the request. "We're looking at the nasal naloxone. We haven't made a decision as to whether that's something we're going to distribute, but it is something we're looking at," Lori Carr told reporters at the legislature. "It should be everywhere," Kozusko said. The pharmacist is often called upon to administer multiple doses of naloxone to people experiencing drug poisoning in the vicinity of her store. She usually starts with a quick shot of nasal spray, calls 911, then moves on to injections. In her personal time, she prefers to carry the smaller, more convenient nasal spray. "It's like these little tiny things that I can just so easily throw into like a purse or fanny pack," she said. "It is not stronger, but it is easier to use." She also appreciates that she doesn't have to worry about disposing of a needle. Calls for nasal spray in Saskatoon The Saskatoon Fire Department has responded to more than 700 overdoses this year, with an average of 24 a day for most of March. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said it's providing more supplies of naloxone in Saskatoon, and on Tuesday health officials indicated that would include a shipment of nasal naloxone spray. Kayla DeMong from Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) in Saskatoon has made a public plea for donations to buy nasal spray. "Just make it available. Make sure it is distributed, because it is the easiest way to teach people how to respond and to have that confidence to respond," DeMong said. 'It can be scary' PHR has sought donations from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and Saskatoon Tribal Council to raise thousands of dollars to buy the kits. Rob Kraushaar is the clinical program director of the Regina Street Team, a group that offers services to vulnerable people. He has no complaints about the supply chain for free injection kits. He said he fills out an order form, then picks up cases of take-home kits from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions. But his team is always searching for nasal spray. He said they rely on gifts from Indigenous supporters who receive the spray for free under federal health benefits. People on the front lines say most overdoses require multiple doses of naloxone to revive the person, regardless of whether it's injectable or nasal spray. "If people are reporting that four or five doses of the stuff is not bringing somebody back in Saskatoon, if you're looking at you have to pay for that as an organization, like, that's crazy," Kraushaar said. He's convinced that more people would be willing to carry naloxone as a nasal spray than needles. "It can be scary. Like, the first 30, 40, 50 overdoses that I responded to on the street and had to use the injectables, your hands are shaking, you're trying to fit [the syringe] into this little vial… all while, in your head, you're thinking every second is life or death for this person," Kraushaar said.
