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After almost a year since the incident, the sentencing hearing for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu happened today at a Melfort, Saskatchewan courtroom.
Sidhu received an eight-year sentence for running a stop sign in his semi-truck, colliding with the Humboldt Broncos team bus, killing 16 people and injuring 13 others
The crown wanted a 10-year sentence.
Due to the sentence being longer than 6 months, Sidhu won't be able to appeal being deported when he's finished serving the sentence.
In January, Sidhu pleaded guilty to all 29 charges filed against him, 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Chinese importers are unwilling to purchase Canadian canola seed.
While there was some initial optimism that trade concerns could quickly be resolved, discussions to date have not indicated any immediate resolution is possible.
“We’re disappointed that differing viewpoints cannot be resolved quickly,” says Jim Everson, president of the CCC. “Under the circumstances, Canadian canola seed exporters who normally ship to China have no alternative but to supply customers in other countries who value high-quality Canadian canola.”
The Canadian canola industry says they have made every effort to meet the requirements of customers and their governments around the world.
“Canadian canola is of the highest quality because of our world-class quality assurance systems,” says Everson. “We have a long-standing history of delivering on quality and reliability. We will continue to provide our customers with high-quality canola and promote stable trade based on science.”
China has been a significant market for Canadian canola, with around 40% of all canola seed, oil and meal exports. Canola seed exports to China were worth $2.7 billion in 2018.
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The federal government’s budget has plans to give money directly to municipalities.
Dauphin will see the impact of the government’s decision to increase the transfers of the municipal gas tax.
“Every municipality in Manitoba will benefit, including yours. You will receive 466 thousand dollars more in a onetime top up this year,” said Minister of International Trade Diversification Jim Carr.
The budget also promises to extend high-speed internet to northern and rural communities.
Carr says the government is determined to close the gap. “It will be that kind of investment that really does change people’s lives. When you can instantly access the world that’s out there it just positions us to have so much more knowledge and there for so much more capability.”
The government promises that by 2026, 96 per cent of Canadians will have access to high-speed internet.
On the canola issue with China, the federal government is treating the canola issue with China as a science-based issue. Carr says Canada is pushing to solve the economically important problem, but China has yet to provide evidence to back up the claims.
“I understand the anxiety being felt by producers. We will take it day by day. we’re doing all we can to determine what the problem is or is not. We will continue to be very aggressive and working with officials at the scientific level to understand the nature of the issue. And until they producer the evidence then there’s not much we can do about solving a problem they have not yet defined.”
Chinese officials allege they detected hazardous organisms in one of Canada's largest grain producer shipments.
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People in Dauphin have wanted to do something about the increased crime.
Tammy Hossack, with the Brandon Bear Clan Patrol, says in Brandon they’ve been running since summer of 2017 and they started because of violent situations occurring in their downtown.
As a community, they thought they could help make the community safer, build relationships and help people out.
They start their patrols at the friendship centre and patrol two nights a week because they are a smaller community than Winnipeg.
In the winter they load up a vehicle with supplies and drive around Brandon giving people mitts, toiletries and food.
Bear Clan Patrol was started in Winnipeg in the ’90s and the Tina Fontaine incident reinvigorated the movement.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Therae Racette-Beaulieu was in Minnedosa court today for shooting an RCMP officer back in August.
The crown wants the court to give Racette-Beaulieu 20 years for shooting Cpl. Graeme Kingdon in the head. The defence council is arguing for 16 years.
During today's hearing, family members, neighbours, RCMP officers, and the victims gave accounts for how the incident has affected their lives.
The August 29th incident started when Racette-Beaulieu and three others stole a truck, leading to the incident where he shot Cpl. Kingdon.
In January, Racette-Beaulieu pleaded guilty to attempted murder, breaking and entering, stealing firearms, and theft of a motor vehicle.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Managing time and stress were the big topics at the Breakfast Series this morning.
Being able to manage time will give you more control over your life.
Stephanie Jaddock, training coordinator at Workplace Education Manitoba, says you need to learn how to say no, delegate, prioritize and organize your workday, so you don’t feel like there are too many hours in a day.
To manage your stress, try setting aside a certain amount of time to collect yourself.
You can try anything from taking deep breaths for a minute to exercising for 30 or more minutes.
Jaddock also says to avoid procrastinating, multi-tasking, and to focus on a task for a blocked amount of time to ensure the best outcome.
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Farmers now don’t have to worry about being charged the carbon tax when they get fuel at the cardlock.
Sharmin Rodgerson, from the Gilbert Plains Coop, says they received news this morning that the Carbon Tax exception now included the cardlock.
“There was a lot of farmers upset. A lot of them get their fuel out of there and really trying to figure out what their options were. But that obviously is solved now, hopefully.”
Anyone who filled out their Federal Fuel Charge Exemption Certificate forms don’t have to worry about filling out another one.
“But we do need the people that only pick up at the cardlock are going to have to fill out the form, or they won‘t get the exemption.”
This exemption includes dyed diesel and regular gasoline.
Fuel can be used to do a number of things. “It includes the tillage of soil, livestock grazing or exhibiting, maintaining horses for racing, raising of poultry, fur farming, dairy farming, fruit growing, and keeping of the bees. But, of course it doesn’t include an office or an employment under a person engaged in the business of farming.”
Rodgerson says forms need to be in the computer system by April 1st to avoid paying the Carbon Tax.
The form can be found here.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
If gambling is destroying you or someone you care about, a new group in Dauphin is here to help.
“We decided that there is need for an anonymity group that deals specifically with gambling. Gambling is a problem that affects people all over the world. Its ruined families, " said an organizer.
The Parkland Gamblers Anonymous Group is planning to hold their first meeting on Tuesday, April 2nd.
“Gambling is an emotional disease, and it is a disease. It’s not just something that we can quit on our own. So through fellowship and through brother and sisterhood, we hope to be able to help people.”
With this group, those suffering won’t need to drive to Brandon or Winnipeg to seek support.
Every Tuesday, at 7:30pm, the group is planning to hold meetings at the Dauphin Friendship Centre.
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A musician and speaker, is coming to Dauphin to talk about suicide, addiction and mental health.
Cam Bennet, a teacher at the DRCSS, says Robb Nash was last here about 5 or 6 years ago and was fantastic, so when the opportunity to bring him back came up, it’s a win-win for everyone.
1725 high school students from all across the Parkland will be heading over to Credit Union Place on April 25th for the concert.
Bennet thinks the concert will be exciting for the students but will also give them something to think about.
Bennet says it’s key for students to know that they’re not alone, Nash has spoken to students across the country, and it’s okay to have public conversations about these topics with someone they can trust.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Manitoba's largest farm organization supports a number of the initiatives presented in the recently announced federal budget.
Yesterday’s budget promised to add new money to existing investments to make high-speed internet access in rural communities a reality. President Bill Campbell says KAP has long called for this.
“It’s my understanding between $5 billion and $6 billion will be added in order to improve connectivity to over 900 communities in Canada with more than 200,000 kilometres of advanced fibre networks,” he said. “This will help farmers who are now limited in the innovative technology they can access because of poor internet service.”
Campbell says another positive in this year’s budget is support for farmers in the supply-managed sectors who were forced to give up market share under the recent new trade agreements. These sectors include dairy, poultry and eggs. The $2.15 billion announced will help them address income losses.
Campbell also noted the federal government has committed to look at the exemptions on farm fuel.
“When the carbon tax was announced, we were told there would be an exemption on farm fuel,” he said. “However, we recently we found out that only fuel delivered to the farm is exempt, but not that accessed from a cardlock system. This system allows farmers to get fuel from unmanned fuel stations, which is often more efficient.”
KAP will also continue to lobby for carbon tax exemptions on fuels used for grain drying, and heating and cooling of farm buildings, because these taxes will add very considerable amounts to farm expenses.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Right at the start of April, women aged 18-23 will be headed to Ottawa for Daughters of the Vote.
Daughters of the Vote is a program that brings women from all over Canada to represent their community and sit in their respective MP’s seat in parliament.
Alicia Kubrakovich has been chosen to represent her home town, Dauphin, even though she’s going to school at the U of M in Winnipeg.
She’s excited to have the opportunity to go to Ottawa for the program.
She’s looking forward to meeting other indigenous women leaders, meeting the NDP, and talking in the House of Commons about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
Kubrakovich wants to have her voice heard.
Kubrakovich is the indigenous rep at the University of Manitoba and is running for co-president of the U of M Indigenous Association. She wants to use what she learns in Ottawa to teach new students at the U of M.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
