Latest news with #National
Global News
5 hours ago
- Business
- Global News
Vancouver man says institutions unable to recognize new Indigenous street name
David Gardiner received a handout from the City of Vancouver on June 6, telling him that his street name was going to be changing. He has lived on the now formerly-named Trutch Street for 40 years, which now bears the name šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street (pronounced sh-MUS-quee-um-AW-sum), which translates to Musqueamview in English. Signposts bear the English name below the official Musqueam name, which is written in the North American Phonetic Alphabet. Gardiner said he has no issue with the name change and it was not a surprise, but told Global News that when he tried to change his address to the legal Musqueam spelling — šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm — both of his banks told him they have no capacity, nor plans, to be able to recognize the official spelling. 'I think it was very unfair because I think they should have consulted all the stakeholders and that would include the City of Vancouver itself, the province of B.C., at least all the banks, whole bunch of what they call stakeholders, and they left that job to the residents of Trutch Street, former Trutch Street, and that's kind of ridiculous,' Gardiner added. Story continues below advertisement 'We're not being paid for this.' 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 Gardiner said he is also having issues changing his address with his credit cards and MSP. 2:08 Vancouver's Trutch Street officially renamed to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Communications strategist Bill Tieleman said the city should have given residents way more than the two weeks' notice that they got. 'They had four years… they voted for this in 2021… and it's 2025 and they haven't done the work yet,' he said. Global News asked the City of Vancouver if staff sought data about how many Vancouverites are familiar with he North American Phonetic Alphabet but they said they did not have any. However, they said they are supporting people with questions via e-mail and they had reached out to service providers. Story continues below advertisement Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said that the name on Google Maps comes up as Musqueamview, so there are alternatives for people to use that for their address change. 'Change is hard,' he said, 'but it's the right change.'
Global News
6 hours ago
- Global News
‘Pathological liar': Edmonton justice declares romance scammer a dangerous offender
A serial romance scammer was declared a dangerous offender in an Edmonton courtroom Friday. The Alberta man defrauded victims of nearly $200,000. The justice believes he won't change his behaviour, which is part of her reason for handing him a prison sentence with no end date. Fifty-five-year-old Jeffrey Paul Kent has more than a dozen charges of fraud that span over 35 years in both British Columbia and Alberta, but the decision to declare him a dangerous offender comes from his romance scams. Justice Melanie Hayes-Richard told the court Friday that Kent destroyed the lives and finances of his victims and left them with severe psychological harm. 'He is a serial fraudster. Convincing women of lies and false promises to gain access to their financials. Mr. Kent is an accomplished liar and master manipulator,' said Hayes-Richard in her decision. Story continues below advertisement Kent met five of his victims through an online dating website. He would create false personas to date the women, and would then tell them he had a variety of different jobs. Hayes-Richard said he would use 'love-bombing tactics.' Kent would then ask them for money. He would ask the victims for money for business opportunities, then failed to pay back the money, and sometimes said that he had brain cancer or seizure disorders. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The court heard that most times, he would spend the money gambling at the casino or on horse races. Kent defrauded the women of more than $170,000. 'Using lie upon lie, he inserted himself into his victims' lives, promising a bright and secure future. Instead, he wreaked havoc,' said Hayes-Richard. 2:26 Calgary woman loses $800k in romance scam In declaring him a dangerous offender, the justice said nothing has succeeded in getting Kent to change his behaviour and that she has no doubt he would go back to romance scams. She also says he poses a threat to the well-being of others. Story continues below advertisement 'He is utterly indifferent to the effect of his criminal behaviour on his victims and, in some cases, their children. He has been treated for and intellectually understands his criminal behaviour. He is at high risk of reoffending by committing a serious personal injury offence,' Hayes-Richard said. 'There is no other alternative raised by the evidence that could adequately protect the public against the commission by Mr Kent of a serious personal injury offence other than an indeterminate sentence.' Mount Royal University criminal justice professor Doug King says dangerous offender designations in Canada are rare. 'It's quite a hurdle for the courts to meet. This obviously is a very serious offender that the court has decided, nope, you're going to go away for a long period of time,' King said. Kent has been in custody since Sept. 24, 2018. He will be eligible for his first parole hearing on that day this September. King says the chance that a dangerous offender is released is rare. 'Although they are eligible for parole, the presumption is they're not going to get it, unless they have shown significant assessed improvement and the likelihood of them reoffending again is zero,' King said. 'To give context, a person who's convicted of first-degree murder in Canada is eligible for a parole at 25 years; most get out if they apply for it. Most dangerous offenders don't get out. We're talking about a very different type of offender within the context of the criminal justice system in Canada.' Story continues below advertisement The justice also ordered Kent to make restitution to the women he defrauded.
Global News
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Lethbridge jam-packed with summer events ahead of Canada Day
With ribs smoking on the grill, dragon boats making waves in the water and residents parading for their beliefs, Lethbridge, Alta., is chock full of events leading up to Canada Day. Ribfest has once again stopped in Lethbridge, but this time the trucks are here for five days, wrapping up on July 1. Meanwhile, the 25th Rotary Dragon Boast Festival is set to entertain thousands just across the street at Henderson Lake. Meanwhile, on Saturday, the annual Lethbridge Pride Parade will liven the streets downtown. All this combines for a busy weekend and it doesn't even include the weekly events and activities, such as the summer farmers markets, Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens and more. 'We're super excited to be back in Lethbridge. It's such a beautiful city and the community here is always so welcoming,' said Kelsi McInnes, festival director for the Western Canada Ribfest Tour. Story continues below advertisement Ribfest has become a summer staple in the southern Alberta city and McInnes says the fact it lines up with the Dragon Boat Festival, Pride and other events is great for each activity. 'I think (patrons) are kind of hopping from event to event. They're going to hopefully go support the dragon boat races, but then they might come here and grab some ribs and grab a beer and listen to the music.' At the water's edge, Steven Urquhart, event chair for the Dragon Boat Festival, agrees the events only compliment one another. 'I think it's great for people to sort of circulate between these events. Of course, you can't be everywhere at once but I think it's wonderful to have these big events, it helps the city feel alive and also shows how much is going on.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy For a quarter century, the dragon boats have entertained the masses, becoming one of the largest annual events in Lethbridge. However, Urquhart says there's a whole lot more happening at Henderson Lake this weekend than just some skilled paddling. 'There's a whole festival side, you see all the food trucks, the beer garden. It's a whole weekend in and of itself and I think that's wonderful.' He says the economic impact of the festival surpasses on the million-dollar mark every year, making it crucial to hotels, restaurants and other industries. Story continues below advertisement 'We have teams that come from out of province, teams from (British Columbia), Saskatchewan, then from the United States, from Montana,' said Urquhart. The events aren't just for Lethbridge or southern Alberta residents, either. Related News Pickering Rotary Ribfest returns for 2025 'We're going to Ribfest, the dragon boat festival, (the farmers' market),' said Susan Thompson. Out enjoying Henderson Lake with her niece, Abbey Zellmer, Thompson recently travelled from out of province to take in everything Lethbridge has to offer this weekend. 'It's the perfect time we came,' said Thompson. For Zellmer, it's an exciting way to launch the summer, which she says is her favourite season. 'I feel really lucky because I just graduated and now I get to enjoy the summer break. My aunt (Thompson) and uncle just came in from B.C., so it's really cool that they get to experience this all too,' said Zellmer. For some of the youngest residents in the city, Canada Day itself will be the highlight of all upcoming events. 'Last year there was a dance and I liked watching the dances and there's really fun things to do,' said Isabela Morgado. She wasn't the only kid eagerly awaiting a chance to celebrate Canada's birthday. Story continues below advertisement 'I like seeing all the celebrations and I love to taste the food,' said Justin Soares. However, no food is worthy of tasting if it isn't made with love. Luckily, for guests at Ribfest, a chance meeting in 2022 means the food should be worth the wait. Ned Simpson and Brooke Weir both currently work for Blazin' BBQ, but three years ago they were on opposite grills, though nothing could keep them apart. 'We owe a lot to the ribs and the people who came out and supported us, kept us going throughout the years. So, it's fun to be here. We put a lot of that love we have for each other into our food,' said Simpson. For Weir, barbecue represents far more than great-tasting food. 'We're very lucky that we got so much out of barbecue that wasn't just barbecue. We've gotten so much out of this, it's fantastic.' Now she says Ribfest has transformed from a community event into something that feels a lot more like a family gathering. 'We cook dinner for everyone and you look out in the parking lot and everyone's eating the food you made for them. It's almost like one big family meal sometimes. It feels really good, really special,' said Weir.
Global News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Global News
Kelowna Polo Classic returns this weekend, close to 1,000 attendees expected
The ponies are primed, the greens trimmed and the mallots are ready for the largest polo tournament in the Pacific Northwest. The annual event is cohosted by the Okanagan Polo Club and La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Okanagan Society, bringing hundreds of people together on Saturday, June 28. 'We have close to 100 players coming from all over Western Canada,' said Lynn Wales, Okanagan Polo Club member. Wales says there will be anywhere between 300 and 400 horses on site. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Most polo players have one polo horse per chucker, so a chucker is similar to (periods) in hockey for the safety of the horses,' said Wales. This year, organizers expect close to 1,000 people to attend the event, all dressed to the nines. Story continues below advertisement 'The folks who come out to this, they come fully dressed up, the hats are fancy… they make the event,' said Stephen Duke, La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Okanagan Society chapter president. Over the years, the event has grown substantially and this year's fete includes a paddock party, live music, and a game for young poloists. The event serves as a fundraiser for both the Okanagan Polo Club and the La Chaine des Rotisseurs Okanagan Society. 'We raise money for young sommeliers and chefs here in the Okanagan Valley so that we can send them to competitions,' said Duke. 'For two years running now, we have produced the top young sommelier for Canada.' As for the polo club, it helps keep their field green and their horses happy, throughout the year , so they are ready to compete in the annual competition.
Global News
7 hours ago
- Business
- Global News
Victoria's Alliance to End Homelessness shutting down after 17 years
An organization that helps the unhoused on the streets of Victoria will be shutting down after 17 years. Sylvia Ceacero, CEO of the Alliance to End Homelessness Victoria, confirmed to Global News that the funding for the organization has been removed or restructured and due to insufficient funding, they will not be able to operate in the future. 'So the board decided to recommend to the membership that we dissolve the alliance in the coming months,' she said. Ceacero said they presented several scenarios to the board of what funding would be required to build the capacity for the organization but the board approved a budget that is currently $233,000 in deficit. 'So we would have to make that up, plus, of course, have at least a half a million dollars or more to build capacity for the organization,' she added. Story continues below advertisement The Alliance to End Homelessness in the Capital Region (AEHCR) started in 2008 as the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness (GVCEH) with a mission to end homelessness in the Capital Region, according to its website. It consists of local housing, health & social service providers, non-profit organizations, all levels of government, businesses, post-secondary institutions, the faith community, people with lived & living experiences of homelessness, and members of the general public. 1:16 City of Victoria rejects parking lot sheltering motion Ceacero said the City of Victoria has traditionally given the Alliance $100,000 a year but did not increase that amount for 2026. 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 She said the impact on the community will be great. 'Backbone organizations such as the Alliance are the glue that has the ability to convene, promote collaboration, have the entire homeless and serving sector working together towards, you know, advocating, influencing policy, moving the needle at the systemic level,' she said. Story continues below advertisement 'And with the Alliance dissolving, that glue will eventually disappear. And you can imagine what that might do to the sector. People will return to working in silos. People will turn to doing the best that they can while they're also attending to the infinite and myriad emergencies and emergencies in their own organization and dealing with the critical issue right now.' Ceacero added that there will be less time for collaborating on a bigger plan for the unhoused community in Victoria as a whole. At this time, it appears the Alliance will wind down by December. Alan Lowe was the mayor of Victoria when the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness was created. 'The Coalition came out of the Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness, Mental Illness and Drug Addictions as we were seeing greater signs of street issues in our city,' Lowe said in a statement to Global News. 'It is a sad day to see the demise of this Coalition.' 1:49 Victoria homeless population left out in the cold Ceacero said that at the end of the day, it is the city's most vulnerable population that suffers. Story continues below advertisement 'It is very disappointing and heartbreaking because… it also means that all of those great pieces of work that were about to be implemented, that we were very hopeful we're going to have a different kind of impact, that were going to move the needle are now going to be in abeyance for who knows how long,' she said.
