Latest news with #Star
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Flight attendant during Delta plane crash in Toronto sues airline, claims pilot ‘inexperienced'
A U.S. flight attendant commended for her heroism during the Delta Airlines crash at Toronto Pearson Airport in February has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the airline, claiming it employed an inexperienced pilot who landed the plane at a 'catastrophically excessive rate of speed.' In a 15-page statement of claim filed in U.S. federal court this week, flight attendant Vanessa Miles, 67, alleges the airline, along with its subsidiary, Endeavour Air, 'cut corners on safety' by failing to adequately train its pilots and crew, in part resulting in the fiery crash on Feb. 17 . Miles, who lives in Detroit, claims she was severely injured after Flight 4819, travelling from Minneapolis with 80 people on board, suffered a 'violent and catastrophic drop' while landing, flipped upside down, and burst into flames on one of Pearson's runways. The crash sent at least 21 people to hospital. There were no fatalities. The allegations set out in Miles' claim, which is seeking a minimum of $75 million (U.S.) in damages, have not been tested in court. When reached by the Star, a spokesperson for Delta Air Lines declined to comment. Lawyers for Miles did not respond to the Star's request for comment by publication. An investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) into the crash is ongoing. It was just after 2 p.m. when Flight 4819, piloted by the first officer, began its touch down into Toronto. According to a preliminary report by the TSB, the plane was approaching the tarmac at nearly double the speed of a 'hard landing' and positioned at a 'flat angle.' Given the plane's tilt, its landing gear made contact with the tarmac first, causing it to collapse. While the TSB has not determined the sequence of events that followed, it noted in its report that 'the wing detached from the fuselage, releasing a cloud of jet fuel, which caught fire.' The jet began to slide down the runway, before coming to rest upside down. In the claim, lawyers for Miles say she lost consciousness while hanging upside down from her seat, held in place by only a seatbelt. When she awoke, she 'found herself soaked in jet fuel' and the cabin filled with smoke, it reads. Miles fell from her seat after unbuckling her seatbelt and, when the emergency slide failed to deploy, fell another six feet while exiting the aircraft, the claim continues. Despite her injuries, Miles 'sprang into action' to assist the crew and other passengers during the crisis, according the U.S. Association of Flight Attendants. She was among a handful of flight attendants honoured by the association in April for their 'heroism beyond the call of duty' in the minutes following the crash. Shortly after passengers and the crew evacuated, the aircraft burst into flames. The cause of the explosion has not been determined. Miles was treated at Humber River Hospital and, according to the lawsuit, suffered multiple injuries, including a broken left shoulder, a traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder. In the six months since the crash, Miles says she's continued to suffer from severe pain, mental anguish, and a loss of earnings, accruing medical expenses along the way. In the claim, lawyers for Miles, citing the TSB report, allege both the captain and first officer of the plane were negligent in failing to maintain a safe rate of descent during the landing approach and positioning at touchdown. It also alleges, amongst other things, that the pair failed to respond to the aircraft's automatic warning indicating that its descent rate was excessive. 'This accident was caused, at least in part, by (Delta Air Lines) knowingly assigning an inexperienced and inadequately trained pilot to operate the flight,' it reads. '(The) defendants cut corners on safety by rushing pilots through training programs and knowingly putting passengers at risk with inexperienced flight crew.' Delta declined to respond to the Star's questions about the experience levels of the pilot and crew aboard Flight 4819. In a statement released days after the crash, however, the union representing the pilots refuted claims they lacked necessary training. According to the union, the captain of the flight had been working for Endeavor Air since 2007, accumulating about 3,570 hours of total flight time by the time of the crash. The first officer had worked for Endeavor since January 2024 and had flown about 1,422 hours. 'Both crew members are qualified and FAA certified for their positions,' the union said. The lawsuit goes on to suggest Delta's safety failures 'extended beyond inadequate pilot training.' According to the claim, Delta failed to ensure its landing gear and emergency evacuation equipment were properly functioning, resulting in the evacuation slide later failing to deploy. It also alleges the airline did not make any announcements or provide guidance to passengers during the evacuation, and was slow to provide medical assistance in the direct aftermath. 'The above actions and omissions constitute gross negligence and show a willful disregard of precautions or measures to attend to safety and disregard for substantial risks,' it reads. Miles' claim isn't the first to be launched by passengers aboard Flight 4819 when it crashed. In the month after the crash, eight separate lawsuits were filed by passengers claiming the airline violated industry standards and that the crew was inadequately trained. Those claims have also not been tested in court. With files from Mark Colley and Kevin Jiang
Hamilton Spectator
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Donald Trump's key sector tariffs look firm, Mark Carney says, as trade talks could go past Friday's deadline
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney suggested Wednesday that U.S. tariffs on key sectors like autos, steel and aluminum will likely remain, since Donald Trump's White House views them as necessary for the national security of the United States. Two days before Trump's latest deadline to increase tariffs on Canadian goods , Carney told reporters on Parliament Hill that it is possible trade talks between his government and the U.S. administration will drag on past Friday. While Carney called the talks 'constructive' and 'complex,' he said there are certain sectors Trump views as 'strategic' for national security reasons. He named automobiles and steel — significant employers in Ontario — as well as aluminum, pharmaceuticals, lumber, and semiconductors. All those sectors in Canada are either already grappling with significant American tariffs imposed under Trump, or face the possibility of higher duties to export to the U.S. The U.S. also kept 50-per-cent tariffs on steel and aluminum in recent agreements on trade with the European Union and Japan, the same level imposed on the Canadian sectors earlier this year. Asked whether a deal is possible without tariffs on those sectors, Carney said that the United State's 'revealed approach' is to keep some level of import duties in those areas. 'In any broader deal, there are gives and takes, and there's various factors,' Carney said Wednesday. 'But I think we have to recognize that, in the strategic sectors — again, as defined by the United States: what's strategic to them — that they have tariffs.' The head of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, Catherine Cobden, told the Star this week that her sector will push for stronger Canadian counter-tariffs to match Trump's import duties on steel and aluminum if no deal is reached before Friday. Flavio Volpe, the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, said he wants tariffs on his sector reduced to zero, citing how the industry is highly integrated across the Canada-U.S. border. Meanwhile, in Washington Wednesday, cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc was among the senior government officials who travelled to the U.S. capital in search of a deal before Friday. That's when Trump has threatened to increase tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 per cent, as part of his global policy to raise import duties to increase economic activity in the U.S. and promote sectors the White House deems essential to national security. Another example came Wednesday when Trump released a proclamation that made official his previous threat to impose 50 per cent tariffs on imported copper products. The proclamation said the tariffs will kick in just after midnight Friday morning. Trump has also threatened tariffs on pharmaceutical imports that could go as high as 200 per cent. Ahead of Friday's deadline, Canadian business groups and Ontario's envoy to Washington have said Canada must preserve the exemption to Trump's tariffs for goods that comply with 2018's Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). That exemption, in place since March 7, means roughly 86 per cent of Canadian exports to the U.S. could continue to flow tariff-free, according to an estimate from RBC Economics . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Star
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Toronto's top Jamaican patty: It all comes down to these two — and it's a nailbiter. Vote now in the finals
We're down to the final two in the Star's weeklong Patty Bracket, where you vote for your favourite Jamaican patty in the city. We started with 16 contenders on Monday, and now we're in the home stretch — tomorrow, the winner will be crowned. The final two patty shops in our bracket are: Fahmee Bakery and Randy's Patties.
Toronto Star
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Toronto's top Jamaican patty: It all comes down to these two. Vote now in the finals
We're down to the final two in the Star's weeklong Patty Bracket, where you vote for your favourite Jamaican patty in the city. We started with 16 contenders on Monday, and now we're in the home stretch — tomorrow, the winner will be crowned. The final two patty shops in our bracket are: Fahmee Bakery and Randy's Patties.
Hamilton Spectator
9 hours ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
There's no escaping wildfire smoke indoors, experts say — but it can help
It's been a smoky summer for Toronto , with forest fires in the Prairies once again pushing the city's Air Quality Health Index into the 'high risk' category Thursday morning. Environment Canada has issued a special statement urging Torontonians to limit their time outdoors where possible. But there's no escaping the smoke even when inside, experts tell the Star. Most buildings are only able to keep about half — 40 to 60 per cent — of outdoor air pollutants from coming inside, according to the research of Jeffrey Brook, an associate professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health. As climate change advances, I cannot grasp the hugeness of the calamity. What once was notable is becoming a habit, a toxic, sinister pattern. As climate change advances, I cannot grasp the hugeness of the calamity. What once was notable is becoming a habit, a toxic, sinister pattern. That means, on especially smoky days, indoor air quality can still reach dangerous levels for susceptible individuals, Brook and other experts previously told the Star. These can include young children, pregnant people, elderly individuals and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions like asthma. 'There's a lot of epidemiology research that says (pollutants released by wildfires) is a major killer,' Brook explained. 'It's one of the most significant causes of premature mortality in the world.' And yet, our building codes and ventilation systems generally aren't designed to prioritize smoke and other pollutants, experts say. As the climate crisis makes wildfires a more common occurrence, policymakers are being urged to consider long-term solutions to a worsening issue. There are three main ways smoke (and other air pollutants) can infiltrate our homes, according to Amy Li, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Waterloo. The first is through any large openings, like a door left ajar or an opened window. 'This is why we often have the recommendation to close all windows and doors when we know the outdoor air is not good,' she explained. The second pathway is less visible — leaks and cracks in a home's enclosure through which pollutants can enter. 'Buildings are not like a spaceship,' Li said. 'There will always be some amount (of pollutants) getting into the building.' Health experts are not currently concerned about air quality in Toronto but warn prolonged exposure to moderate risk air may threaten health. Health experts are not currently concerned about air quality in Toronto but warn prolonged exposure to moderate risk air may threaten health. The third is through mechanical ventilation systems that funnel outside air indoors, said Jeffrey Siegel, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Toronto. This sort of system is present in 'most non-residential buildings,' he said. It's why large commercial and institutional buildings, like schools, offices and community centres, are often more vulnerable to smoke, Li added, although it varies from building to building. Older buildings also tend to have more cracks for pollutants to seep through and ventilation systems less able to keep smoke out, Li and Siegel explained. Meanwhile, single family homes and townhouses tend to be 'leakier' compared to highrise apartment complexes, Li said. Buildings without air conditioning are also at greater risk if windows are kept open to regulate high temperatures, Siegel added. The first rule of thumb is to close any doors and windows when it's smoky out. You might even consider taping windows shut if leaks are present, Li said. 'That's not as protective as would be ideal because of the leaks in buildings … but it will help,' Siegel added. But this may not be an option if your residence has no air conditioning and you're weathering a period of extreme heat: 'The health effects of extreme heat can be more serious than the effects of wildfire smoke,' Siegel said. If your home has a central forced air system with a MERV 11-rated air filter or better, Siegel recommends keeping your fan going continuously if possible. MERV, or 'minimum efficiency reporting values,' measures how efficiently a filter can capture particles; a MERV 13 to 15 rated filter is preferred, Siegel said. Unlike many commercial buildings, most residences in Canada recirculate the indoor air instead of pumping in fresh air from the outside, Li said. TORONTO - The Canadian Ophthalmological Society is urging people to take care of their eyes as wildfires burn across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. TORONTO - The Canadian Ophthalmological Society is urging people to take care of their eyes as wildfires burn across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Siegel also recommended running portable air filters in crowded spaces, especially in areas with susceptible individuals. The Star previously outlined how to make an affordable filter using a fan, air filters, duct tape and cardboard. If possible, Li recommends upgrading your home's filtration system. Consult with a professional first, especially if your home's ventilation system is old, as a high-efficiency filter might overwhelm the system and lead to drops in pressure, she said. Finally, those at high risk can consider wearing a well-fitted respirator or mask, like an N95 mask, while indoors when it's especially smoky, Siegel explained. Until recently, building filtration systems have placed less emphasis on keeping wildfire smoke and other environmental pollutants out, Brook noted. And while the COVID-19 pandemic saw a shift toward improving HVAC systems in buildings like schools, experts and advocates have noted it's not sufficient to keep up with the increasing prevalence of wildfires. Almost any upgrades to a building will also make it more resistant to wildfire smoke, Siegel said, from installing new windows to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning retrofits. The problem is many of the buildings where these improvements are needed most, like schools, are unable to implement them due to budget and funding limitations, he continued. For urbanites, there's a new way to mark the calendar: the day the smoke reaches the city. For urbanites, there's a new way to mark the calendar: the day the smoke reaches the city. 'It's an important area that we should be thinking about for investment, because the issue isn't just wildfire smoke,' Siegel said. 'We have increasing ambient air pollution just because of urbanization. We have a lot more construction, a lot more traffic, a lot of major roadways with schools and other buildings near them.' There's another hurdle. Brook noted that improved ventilation, air-conditioning and filtration systems may end up contributing to the climate crisis. 'If you just start expending more energy to make the indoor air clean, it can becomes a vicious cycle of more emissions if our energy is coming from dirty sources,' he said. 'We have to think, what's our long-term strategy?' Brook continued. 'Why have we stopped talking about how we're going to meet carbon emission targets? How are we going to upgrade our housing and clean air while not increasing our energy usages?'
