Latest news with #Finlay
Epoch Times
11 hours ago
- Health
- Epoch Times
Ontario Family Suing Hospital After Teen Dies Following 8-Hour ER Wait
The family of a 16-year-old teen who died after waiting more than eight hours in a crowded Oakville, Ont., emergency room is suing hospital officials over his treatment. Finlay van der Werken's family is suing Halton Healthcare Services Corporation, along with 13 other defendants including seven doctors, alleging the teen died of a treatable medical condition. The family says Finlay suffered a medical crisis in February 2024. After being rushed to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH), he waited more than eight hours in the ER before dying just over 24 hours later. The family says doctors later told them that earlier treatment might have prevented his death. The lawsuit, filed by five plaintiffs, including Finlay's parents, alleges that he wasn't properly treated or monitored and asks for $1.3 million in damages. According to his family, Finlay had a migraine that rapidly worsened, leading to his mother Hazel driving him to the emergency department at OTMH. She informed staff of her son's intense pain, but hospital records show despite Finlay's being triaged at 10 p.m., a doctor didn't see him until 6:22 a.m. the following morning, according to the family. Finlay was diagnosed with sepsis and pneumonia, with the doctor warning that 'acute deterioration' was occurring. He went into cardiac arrest while being transferred to Toronto's SickKids Hospital. At SickKids, van der Werken was put on life support but went into organ failure, at which point his parents made the decision to remove him from life support. Hazel van der Werken said that at a meeting with hospital staff, they didn't admit to doing anything wrong but acknowledged Finlay's outcome might have been different with earlier treatment. Meghan Walker, the lawyer representing the family, said Finlay had a Level 2 assessment on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale, which means he should be examined by a doctor within 15 minutes. He wasn't assessed for more than eight hours. 'We are profoundly moved by the outpouring of public support and remain steadfast in our pursuit of accountability and systemic change,' Walker said in a July 29 email to The Epoch Times. Halton Healthcare executive vice president of Clinical Operations and chief nursing officer Cheryl Williams said in a July 29 email to The Epoch Times that 'we extend our deepest condolences to the van der Werken family on the tragic loss of Finlay,' but that 'Halton Healthcare does not comment on individual patient cases in order to respect patient privacy, confidentiality, and legal requirements.' Halton Healthcare has been facing 'more patients presenting with increasingly complex health conditions and co-morbidities, often requiring longer stays and more intensive care,' said Williams. 'This places significant demand on our emergency departments, patient flow, bed availability and the patient experience.' She said a Halton Healthcare Emergency Department working group is looking at ways to improve patient outcomes.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
'Battery of the nation' undersea power cable at risk
One of the nation's largest energy projects could be in doubt amid a government stoush and a cost blowout. The multi-billion-dollar Marinus Link undersea power cable project to connect Tasmania to the mainland has been touted as critical to making the island state the "battery of the nation" by increasing its capacity to export green power. The $5.5 billion project is set to be funded by the federal, Tasmanian and Victorian governments. The Tasmanian government's decision on its 17.7 per cent share of the link's Stage 1 cable, initially promised by July 31, has been delayed. Tasmania's Shadow Energy Minister Janie Finlay on Saturday accused Premier Jeremy Rockliff of blocking a briefing from Energy Minister Nick Duigan on the Marinus business case. It had been hoped the briefing would create bipartisan support to secure the project as Tasmania's Liberal government scrambles for survival following the July 19 election. "We are days away from a critical decision on one of Tasmania's largest infrastructure projects," Ms Finlay told reporters. "The business case has been sitting in the premier's office for two months, but Jeremy Rockliff won't let Tasmanians see it. "Not only have they just not briefed Tasmanian Labor, but the premier has stepped in and actively blocked that." Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council chief executive Ray Mostogl said the delay and uncertainty placed the entire project at risk. Marinus Link must "issue notice to proceed" by the end of August or lose a $1.07 billion contract with the Italy-based Prysmian Group to supply the 345km cable. Tasmania's Liberal government is in caretaker mode after the state election delivered another large crossbench, some of whom oppose the Marinus project. Ms Finlay accused the Rockliff government of hiding the Marinus Link business case for political gain because it included significant price impacts to pay for transmission infrastructure. The government has denied Mr Rockliff or his staff blocked a briefing, saying the opposition would be briefed in line with caretaker conventions. "We are carefully and methodically working through the details, with a decision expected soon," Mr Duigan said. The undersea electricity and data connector would link Tasmania's northwest with Victoria's Latrobe Valley and allow the smaller state to import surplus solar while exporting hydropower to the mainland grid, where it could help reduce the risk of brownouts. The project was scaled back in September 2023 after the cost of two cables blew out by $1.7 billion to an estimated $5.5 billion. Under the plan, Victoria has a 33.3 per cent share and Tasmania 17.7 per cent, with an option to sell its stake to the Commonwealth on completion. Marinus Link has been touted as a critical component in making Tasmania the "battery" of the nation by increasing the island's capacity to export green power and allow excess energy generated on the mainland to be stored in Tasmania's hydro storage. The first stage is not slated to be finished until 2028/29. One of the nation's largest energy projects could be in doubt amid a government stoush and a cost blowout. The multi-billion-dollar Marinus Link undersea power cable project to connect Tasmania to the mainland has been touted as critical to making the island state the "battery of the nation" by increasing its capacity to export green power. The $5.5 billion project is set to be funded by the federal, Tasmanian and Victorian governments. The Tasmanian government's decision on its 17.7 per cent share of the link's Stage 1 cable, initially promised by July 31, has been delayed. Tasmania's Shadow Energy Minister Janie Finlay on Saturday accused Premier Jeremy Rockliff of blocking a briefing from Energy Minister Nick Duigan on the Marinus business case. It had been hoped the briefing would create bipartisan support to secure the project as Tasmania's Liberal government scrambles for survival following the July 19 election. "We are days away from a critical decision on one of Tasmania's largest infrastructure projects," Ms Finlay told reporters. "The business case has been sitting in the premier's office for two months, but Jeremy Rockliff won't let Tasmanians see it. "Not only have they just not briefed Tasmanian Labor, but the premier has stepped in and actively blocked that." Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council chief executive Ray Mostogl said the delay and uncertainty placed the entire project at risk. Marinus Link must "issue notice to proceed" by the end of August or lose a $1.07 billion contract with the Italy-based Prysmian Group to supply the 345km cable. Tasmania's Liberal government is in caretaker mode after the state election delivered another large crossbench, some of whom oppose the Marinus project. Ms Finlay accused the Rockliff government of hiding the Marinus Link business case for political gain because it included significant price impacts to pay for transmission infrastructure. The government has denied Mr Rockliff or his staff blocked a briefing, saying the opposition would be briefed in line with caretaker conventions. "We are carefully and methodically working through the details, with a decision expected soon," Mr Duigan said. The undersea electricity and data connector would link Tasmania's northwest with Victoria's Latrobe Valley and allow the smaller state to import surplus solar while exporting hydropower to the mainland grid, where it could help reduce the risk of brownouts. The project was scaled back in September 2023 after the cost of two cables blew out by $1.7 billion to an estimated $5.5 billion. Under the plan, Victoria has a 33.3 per cent share and Tasmania 17.7 per cent, with an option to sell its stake to the Commonwealth on completion. Marinus Link has been touted as a critical component in making Tasmania the "battery" of the nation by increasing the island's capacity to export green power and allow excess energy generated on the mainland to be stored in Tasmania's hydro storage. The first stage is not slated to be finished until 2028/29. One of the nation's largest energy projects could be in doubt amid a government stoush and a cost blowout. The multi-billion-dollar Marinus Link undersea power cable project to connect Tasmania to the mainland has been touted as critical to making the island state the "battery of the nation" by increasing its capacity to export green power. The $5.5 billion project is set to be funded by the federal, Tasmanian and Victorian governments. The Tasmanian government's decision on its 17.7 per cent share of the link's Stage 1 cable, initially promised by July 31, has been delayed. Tasmania's Shadow Energy Minister Janie Finlay on Saturday accused Premier Jeremy Rockliff of blocking a briefing from Energy Minister Nick Duigan on the Marinus business case. It had been hoped the briefing would create bipartisan support to secure the project as Tasmania's Liberal government scrambles for survival following the July 19 election. "We are days away from a critical decision on one of Tasmania's largest infrastructure projects," Ms Finlay told reporters. "The business case has been sitting in the premier's office for two months, but Jeremy Rockliff won't let Tasmanians see it. "Not only have they just not briefed Tasmanian Labor, but the premier has stepped in and actively blocked that." Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council chief executive Ray Mostogl said the delay and uncertainty placed the entire project at risk. Marinus Link must "issue notice to proceed" by the end of August or lose a $1.07 billion contract with the Italy-based Prysmian Group to supply the 345km cable. Tasmania's Liberal government is in caretaker mode after the state election delivered another large crossbench, some of whom oppose the Marinus project. Ms Finlay accused the Rockliff government of hiding the Marinus Link business case for political gain because it included significant price impacts to pay for transmission infrastructure. The government has denied Mr Rockliff or his staff blocked a briefing, saying the opposition would be briefed in line with caretaker conventions. "We are carefully and methodically working through the details, with a decision expected soon," Mr Duigan said. The undersea electricity and data connector would link Tasmania's northwest with Victoria's Latrobe Valley and allow the smaller state to import surplus solar while exporting hydropower to the mainland grid, where it could help reduce the risk of brownouts. The project was scaled back in September 2023 after the cost of two cables blew out by $1.7 billion to an estimated $5.5 billion. Under the plan, Victoria has a 33.3 per cent share and Tasmania 17.7 per cent, with an option to sell its stake to the Commonwealth on completion. Marinus Link has been touted as a critical component in making Tasmania the "battery" of the nation by increasing the island's capacity to export green power and allow excess energy generated on the mainland to be stored in Tasmania's hydro storage. The first stage is not slated to be finished until 2028/29. One of the nation's largest energy projects could be in doubt amid a government stoush and a cost blowout. The multi-billion-dollar Marinus Link undersea power cable project to connect Tasmania to the mainland has been touted as critical to making the island state the "battery of the nation" by increasing its capacity to export green power. The $5.5 billion project is set to be funded by the federal, Tasmanian and Victorian governments. The Tasmanian government's decision on its 17.7 per cent share of the link's Stage 1 cable, initially promised by July 31, has been delayed. Tasmania's Shadow Energy Minister Janie Finlay on Saturday accused Premier Jeremy Rockliff of blocking a briefing from Energy Minister Nick Duigan on the Marinus business case. It had been hoped the briefing would create bipartisan support to secure the project as Tasmania's Liberal government scrambles for survival following the July 19 election. "We are days away from a critical decision on one of Tasmania's largest infrastructure projects," Ms Finlay told reporters. "The business case has been sitting in the premier's office for two months, but Jeremy Rockliff won't let Tasmanians see it. "Not only have they just not briefed Tasmanian Labor, but the premier has stepped in and actively blocked that." Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council chief executive Ray Mostogl said the delay and uncertainty placed the entire project at risk. Marinus Link must "issue notice to proceed" by the end of August or lose a $1.07 billion contract with the Italy-based Prysmian Group to supply the 345km cable. Tasmania's Liberal government is in caretaker mode after the state election delivered another large crossbench, some of whom oppose the Marinus project. Ms Finlay accused the Rockliff government of hiding the Marinus Link business case for political gain because it included significant price impacts to pay for transmission infrastructure. The government has denied Mr Rockliff or his staff blocked a briefing, saying the opposition would be briefed in line with caretaker conventions. "We are carefully and methodically working through the details, with a decision expected soon," Mr Duigan said. The undersea electricity and data connector would link Tasmania's northwest with Victoria's Latrobe Valley and allow the smaller state to import surplus solar while exporting hydropower to the mainland grid, where it could help reduce the risk of brownouts. The project was scaled back in September 2023 after the cost of two cables blew out by $1.7 billion to an estimated $5.5 billion. Under the plan, Victoria has a 33.3 per cent share and Tasmania 17.7 per cent, with an option to sell its stake to the Commonwealth on completion. Marinus Link has been touted as a critical component in making Tasmania the "battery" of the nation by increasing the island's capacity to export green power and allow excess energy generated on the mainland to be stored in Tasmania's hydro storage. The first stage is not slated to be finished until 2028/29.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
'Battery of the nation' undersea power cable at risk
One of the nation's largest energy projects could be in doubt amid a government stoush and a cost blowout. The multi-billion-dollar Marinus Link undersea power cable project to connect Tasmania to the mainland has been touted as critical to making the island state the "battery of the nation" by increasing its capacity to export green power. The $5.5 billion project is set to be funded by the federal, Tasmanian and Victorian governments. The Tasmanian government's decision on its 17.7 per cent share of the link's Stage 1 cable, initially promised by July 31, has been delayed. Tasmania's Shadow Energy Minister Janie Finlay on Saturday accused Premier Jeremy Rockliff of blocking a briefing from Energy Minister Nick Duigan on the Marinus business case. It had been hoped the briefing would create bipartisan support to secure the project as Tasmania's Liberal government scrambles for survival following the July 19 election. "We are days away from a critical decision on one of Tasmania's largest infrastructure projects," Ms Finlay told reporters. "The business case has been sitting in the premier's office for two months, but Jeremy Rockliff won't let Tasmanians see it. "Not only have they just not briefed Tasmanian Labor, but the premier has stepped in and actively blocked that." Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council chief executive Ray Mostogl said the delay and uncertainty placed the entire project at risk. Marinus Link must "issue notice to proceed" by the end of August or lose a $1.07 billion contract with the Italy-based Prysmian Group to supply the 345km cable. Tasmania's Liberal government is in caretaker mode after the state election delivered another large crossbench, some of whom oppose the Marinus project. Ms Finlay accused the Rockliff government of hiding the Marinus Link business case for political gain because it included significant price impacts to pay for transmission infrastructure. The government has denied Mr Rockliff or his staff blocked a briefing, saying the opposition would be briefed in line with caretaker conventions. "We are carefully and methodically working through the details, with a decision expected soon," Mr Duigan said. The undersea electricity and data connector would link Tasmania's northwest with Victoria's Latrobe Valley and allow the smaller state to import surplus solar while exporting hydropower to the mainland grid, where it could help reduce the risk of brownouts. The project was scaled back in September 2023 after the cost of two cables blew out by $1.7 billion to an estimated $5.5 billion. Under the plan, Victoria has a 33.3 per cent share and Tasmania 17.7 per cent, with an option to sell its stake to the Commonwealth on completion. Marinus Link has been touted as a critical component in making Tasmania the "battery" of the nation by increasing the island's capacity to export green power and allow excess energy generated on the mainland to be stored in Tasmania's hydro storage. The first stage is not slated to be finished until 2028/29.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: The best ancient advice in the world
You don't need a whole slew of professional qualifications to be an influencer. A certain native charm is helpful; good looks can always go down well with the easily-impressed; a way with words is an obvious advantage as is the ability to put together a convincing video roll. Building a reputation for expert and inside knowledge is key to the enterprise. Influencer marketing is an activity which was barely known a decade ago and its impact was accelerated by the explosive growth of social media and during lockdown when many of us had more time on our hands than was good for us. We are a country which has become wedded to social networks with up to three quarters of our population owning one or more accounts. Modash, an influencer marketing and analysis agency, headquartered in Estonia, says it has found 12,032 Irish Instagram influencers with up to 500,000 followers and the majority of their audience in Ireland. For a fee it will analyse every creator not only on this platform but also on YouTube and TikTok. Citizens may enter this bewildering landscape for a whole host of reasons, and many may be wholly harmless. A search for the best way to make falafel for example, or guidance on how to knit a plaited stitch; or directions to the best beaches in Galicia. But there are other subjects on which it is best to rely on a phrase which preceded the arrival of the internet by nearly 3,000 years. 'Caveat Emptor' — buyer beware. Medical advice certainly falls into this category. It's quite easy to find GPs who will tell you hair-raising stories about patients who arrive in their surgeries having carried out comprehensive search engine diagnoses of their symptoms and seeking sign-off and confirmation of their ailments and maladies. And the other topic where caution is required is, of course, financial information, where the Central Bank of Ireland has reissued advice to consumers that if they deal with an unauthorised firm then there is no recourse to statutory compensation schemes or the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman. 'Consumers are advised to check the official Central Bank website to see if the firm is authorised by the Central Bank' its statement to the Irish Examiner says. Mr Finlay, who has 260,000 followers on Instagram and 586,000 on TikTok, has built a reputation in recent years by posting food reviews and luxury lifestyle content. He frequently shares photos and videos of himself on first-class flights, at Premier League matches, and on holidays in Dubai. He also runs several channels on instant messaging app Telegram, which are focused on making money on T4Trade. He suggests that people copy his trades. The platform carries a disclaimer that it is not targeted to residents of the EU where it is not registered Mr Finlay says he charges €1,000 for access to a VIP channel which is owned and operated by him, but regularly allows small groups of people to enter 'free of charge,' for limited amounts of time, encouraging people to join quickly before access to the group closes. In historical terms, we are in the early days of trading and commerce on the internet and there are many lessons which still have to be learned. But as with any activity taking place on a new frontier, it is sensible to be cautious. It may not make you a fortune, but it can protect you from crushing disappointment. Or to quote T4Trade's own website: 'Our products are traded on margin and carry a high level of risk and it is possible to lose all your capital.' Old wild men have left the stage this week It has been, we must acknowledge, a bad week for old wild men. First the curtain came down on Ozzy Osbourne, 76, the founding father of the metalheads, whose last concert at Villa Park a couple of weeks previously was recalled by an Irish Examiner writer who proclaimed it as 'not just a celebration of music and legacy, but of life itself'. The self-styled Prince of Darkness nearly sacrificed his life on several occasions to excesses of various types but earned a place in people's hearts through his endearing MTV reality show, The Osbournes, which reached way beyond the aficionados of thrash metal. On the same day, a different kind of rugged hero departed with the passing of Joey Jones, stalwart of Liverpool, Wrexham, and Chelsea whose fist-pumping exhortations to fans were a familiar scene at soccer grounds across Europe in the 1970s and 80s. Jones, 70, born in a North Wales council house, was a rampaging left-sided defender whose never-say-die attitude won the hearts of those on the terraces. Hulk Hogan, who died on Thursday, was for more than a decade the ubiquitous face of wrestling bringing WWE to prominence with theatrical performances and a dominating physique. Hogan, who acknowledged that he took steroids, stood at 6ft 7in and weighed 145kg. His appearance was set off by a droopy blonde moustache and a T-shirt that he liked to rip open at the height of his exuberance. Hogan, 71, died from apparent cardiac arrest. In later years he was a voluble supporter of US president Donald Trump who counted 'the Hulkster' as a personal friend. There will be an opinion that men aren't made like this anymore but whether it's a snatch of the opening riff of 'Paranoid', a recollection of the famous 'Munching Gladbach' banner, or a highly colourful bandana, they will stay in our collective memories for the forseeable. Fair deal for cancer survivors is overdue There are few things more powerful than an idea whose time seems to have come. The concept that age is no barrier; changes to abortion law; elective death; reform of drug laws. To this we can add the proposition that for too long cancer survivors in Ireland have been discriminated against by the providers of financial services, with many struggling to obtain products such as mortgage protection and travel cover. For many years, the Irish Cancer Society has been campaigning for what it describes as 'the right to be forgotten', which means that there will be no obligation to disclose a previous diagnosis more than five years after active treatment has been concluded. Anyone who has filled in an insurance application form will be aware that there are requirements to declare any previous medical conditions, the inclusion of which can add, often considerably, to the premium charged or refusal to provide a policy. Failure to provide such details can result in policies being declared null and void. But change is afoot and legislation is now expected to be passed by the Oireachtas this autumn. It was first introduced in the Seanad by then Fianna Fáil senator Catherine Ardagh in October 2022, and was reintroduced by her as a TD in the Dáil in February. Now it has been taken up by the Government, whose junior finance minister Robert Troy — who has lost two siblings to the disease — describes the situation as 'challenging and unfair'. The Central Bank (Amendment) Bill will give statutory weight to what was previously a voluntary code of practice, which was not universally adopted, and will bring Ireland into line with laws which are already in place in France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Under existing guidelines, a survivor can access mortgage protection after seven years of remission or five years if individuals were diagnosed when under the age of 18. While the proposed new law does not cover travel insurance this will be a logical next step for campaigners. The Government, says Mr Troy, has focussed first on 'where the need is greatest and where there is the clearest evidence base'. Removing the uncertainty around house purchase is certainly a priority, but there is an equivalent value emotionally of liberating people from being defined by the most difficult chapter of their lives. Loss adjustors and risk assessors will, no doubt, point to the costs. It is their job to do so. But the rest of us may consider that, in a country where hundreds of thousands of people have been visited by cancer, it is a price worth bearing. Read More Irish Examiner view: Rural communities are losing their light
Belfast Telegraph
7 days ago
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
NI menswear brand opening new store in city centre
Remus Uomo, which is part of the Carrickfergus-based Douglas & Grahame business, is planning to convert the Jack Wills store on Arthur Street into a new retail spot for the brand. It could see the B1 listed building refurbished as well as ground floor retail unit partly being turned into a café space. 'The proposed works consist of internal refurbishment to the existing unit; including the partial removal of existing partition walls and construction of new [walls]. '[It also include] partial removal of an existing non-original partition with archways at ground floor level to be made wider and create a more open space.' Adam Finlay is managing director of the Northern Ireland family-run menswear company Douglas & Grahame, which is behind the Remus Uomo brand. There are three standalone Remus Uomo shops in Dublin off St Stephen's Green, as well as Glasgow and Belfast's Victoria Square. The brand Remus Uomo was thought up by Mr Finlay's father Donald and uncle Richard, the second generation of Finlays in the business, as they travelled between Pisa and Florence in 1991 on a fabric-sourcing trip. Remus Uomo and sister brands Daniel Grahame, DG's Drifter and 1880 CLUB are stocked in independent men's retailers and department stores on both sides of the border. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph last year, Mr Finlay said: 'Our product is so much about fit and form and about the tactility of the fabrications we use.' He also said expansion was on the cards for the business, which marked its centenary last year. 'The most particular target for us would be strategic locations in Great Britain. 'We're very conscious to be respectful to our existing independent retailers, where for example on the island of Ireland we're extremely well-served by that part of the industry. 'But in mainland Great Britain, we've always found it that bit more difficult. There's not that same spread of the independent retailers and so we have great swathes of the mainland where we don't have any significant business at all.' Its ambitions are to set up stores in cities like Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Edinburgh.
