Latest news with #NDP
CBC
an hour ago
- Politics
- CBC
Manitoba's accessibility minister apologizes for comments about sign language interpreter
Manitoba's accessibility minister is apologizing to the Deaf community for comments she made about a sign language interpreter that were caught on a hot mic. Minister Nahanni Fontaine made the comments while preparing to speak to reporters following a speech during a graduation event she hosted for Indigenous women Thursday. A sign language interpreter was with her on stage during the speech. Video taken by APTN shows Fontaine discussing her performance with a person off-camera, apparently unaware the camera was recording. The recording shows the minister saying she was "thrown off" because of the interpreter. "I couldn't see anybody on this side," Fontaine said. "And all I could see was her —" "Frantic hand movements?" the other person said. "Yeah, I'm like, 'F--k, why did I have her on the stage?' Jesus! I'm like, 'you need to leave,'" the minister is heard saying in the APTN video. The Opposition Progressive Conservatives called on Fontaine, the NDP member for St. Johns, to apologize and immediately resign from her role as accessibility minister, saying in social media posts Friday it's a responsibility "she clearly does not respect." Fontaine said in a statement she was expressing frustration about "her poor planning ensuring clear sight lines on all graduates" during a private debrief with staff. "My comments did not acknowledge signing is not simply 'hand movements,' but a full and rich language used by thousands of Manitobans every day," she said in the statement. The minister said she spoke with the sign language interpreter to offer her a personal apology, and to thank her for her work. "I also sincerely apologize to the Deaf community and to all Manitobans for my comments," Fontaine said. Barrier-Free Manitoba said in a statement it's aware of the recording, pointing out all Manitobans are entitled to accessible communication, including ASL translation, during public events under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. The statement said the organization hopes Fontaine and her colleagues "will respond by reinforcing the act's mandate — ensuring accessible public communications through robust education and compliance." "Leadership means setting the tone from the top, and we trust the government will act decisively to uphold the dignity and inclusion rights" of the Deaf and hard of hearing communities, the statement said.
Calgary Herald
2 hours ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Braid: Focus on separatism is all about keeping UCP in power
Separatism is no threat to Alberta, or the federal government, or Canada itself. Article content But it is an enormous threat to Premier Danielle Smith and her United Conservative Party. Article content Article content A provincewide vote of, say five per cent, would bleed support from the UCP and bring the NDP back to power. Article content That threat drives major elements of UCP policy, from removing books in schools to making nine demands for change from Ottawa. Article content Article content The UCP often governs 4.9 million Albertans for the benefit of a faction within the party. Article content Article content At an event with federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday, Smith said Prime Minister Mark Carney should take separatism seriously. It's the fed's fault, after all. Article content 'If Ottawa wants to work with me to cause that (separatist) sentiment to subside, then we need to materially address the nine bad laws that have created that negative investment climate,' she said. Article content 'If they make the changes that we're requesting, then I suspect they can take the air out of that movement.' Article content Knocking a few points off a tiny separatist party's support is a weak rationale for moving the feds to action. Article content There isn't much of a market in Ottawa, or anywhere else, for the plaintive cries from Alberta the Oppressed. Article content On Friday, the government closed the books on fiscal 2024-25 with an astonishing surplus of $8.2 billion. Article content Article content Originally, the finance department had forecast a surplus of 'only' $355 million (one that every other province would love to have). Article content Article content That surplus grew madly because of lush revenue in major categories, especially oil and gas. Article content In 2023-24, the Alberta surplus was $4.3 billion; the year before that, it hit $11.6 billion. The only other province to book a surplus in 2024-25 was New Brunswick, with $41 million.
Global News
4 hours ago
- Health
- Global News
Ontario awards licences for publicly funded, privately operated diagnostic centres
The Ford government has announced that 57 new privately operated surgical and diagnostic centres will be brought online and integrated into the public health system as it tries to reduce wait times. On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled the first new privately operated facility to be given an operating licence — a new building in Richmond Hill, Ont., which will be run as a non-profit. As part of the creation of 57 new privately run facilities — referred to by the government as community surgical and diagnostic centres — Ontario will chip in a total $155 million over two years. 'The 57 new centres we are rolling out across Ontario will make a huge difference for people in the province, helping them get the care they need, when they need it,' Ford said in a statement. Story continues below advertisement 'It's all part of our plan to protect and improve our health-care services, all while ensuring people always receive the care they need with their OHIP card.' Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Thirty-five of the centres have been licensed to offer MRI and CT scans, while another 22 will deal with GI endoscopy procedures. Ontario NDP MPP France Gélinas said the announcement was a step in the wrong direction. 'That is public money going into private hands instead of our local hospitals, where help is desperately needed,' 'This model of private delivery with public dollars is alarming and unfair. Study after study shows that private clinics benefit the wealthiest, while leaving the rest of us behind. That is public money going into private hands instead of our local hospitals, where help is desperately needed. All of this has been made possible through Bill 60. 'This model of private delivery with public dollars is alarming and unfair. Study after study shows that private clinics benefit the wealthiest, while leaving the rest of us behind. Ford made Friday's announcement at the Schroeder Ambulatory Centre in Richmond Hill, which received the first such licence to operate a new centre. It will get $14 million from the province and provide MRIs, CT scans and endoscopy procedures to 115,000 patients over two years. Story continues below advertisement The Walter and Maria Schroeder Foundation committed $300 million for the new centre. Health Minister Sylvia Jones said no special favours were given to the new ambulatory centre, which was built without assurance it would be granted a licence if it applied. The new centres will help alleviate the strain on public hospitals, the provincial government said. The premier said that 'hospitals are at full capacity, but this will relieve them.' Announcing the licences marks a major checkpoint on a plan the government announced in 2023 to expand the role of privately delivered, publicly funded operators in the health-care system. The plan — titled Your Health — was announced at the beginning of 2023, with legislation to support it passed during the spring. In the year that has followed, the government has been working through details of how it will manage oversight of new private clinics. — with files from The Canadian Press
CBC
6 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
B.C. MLA Bowinn Ma's constituency office targeted with explosive device
The constituency office of North Vancouver MLA Bowinn Ma has been targeted with an explosive device, CBC News has confirmed. Police tape could be seen on Friday morning cordoning off the cabinet minister's office space at 221 Esplanade Ave. West. Two sources who spoke with CBC News on background, as they're not in a position to comment on the matter, said legislative security sent out an email to MLAs and constituency assistants around 7:30 a.m. Friday. The email said there was "an explosive device that detonated and caused damage." It said the explosion caused damage to the property, but no one was hurt. CBC News spoke with Ma and her husband in person, who said they're reeling from the incident and do not wish to comment. In a statement, Ma said all meetings and appointments at her office are cancelled for the day. "Thankfully, nobody was injured, but incidents like this can be quite frightening," she said. "Due to the active police investigation, I will not be able to provide more details at this time." The Office of the Premier told CBC News they did not order B.C. NDP offices to close, but they've advised caution and want staff and MLAs to do what they feel comfortable with.
Global News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Global News
Security incident prompts closure of BC NDP MLA's office
North Vancouver RCMP are at the scene outside NDP MLA Bowinn Ma's constituency office on Friday morning. In a statement, Ma confirmed that a 'security incident' has prompted the closure of her office and all meetings and appointments have been cancelled. The incident took place in the early hours of the morning. 'Thankfully, nobody was injured, but incidents like this can be quite frightening,' Ma said in a statement. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'I appreciate the concern expressed by community members. I am grateful to serve such a caring and compassionate community. I'd also like to thank the officers who responded for their diligence and professionalism. Due to the active police investigation, I will not be able to provide more details at this time.' Some damage can be seen to the front door of the office but RCMP has not provided any details about the incident. Story continues below advertisement Ma is the MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale and also B.C.'s infrastructure minister. The BC NDP has called an emergency caucus meeting on Friday and urges all MLAs and staff to be cautious. More to come.
