WestJet and its pilots reach 11th-hour deal to avoid strike
Story by Karen Bartko • Thursday, May 18, 2023

An airport employee walks beside a WestJet plane on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International airport in Toronto, Ontario on Friday March 18, 2022.© THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Lars Hagberg

Airline WestJet and its pilots have reached a last-minute deal, averting a strike ahead of the May long weekend, according to the union.

A news release from the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) late Thursday night said members voted to approve an agreement-in-principle with WestJet management, following more than nine months of negotiations on a new pilot contract.

Just after 12 a.m. MT, the Calgary-based airline confirmed the two sides had reached a tentative agreement on the second collective bargaining agreement between the organizations.

Some 1,800 pilots at WestJet and Swoop had been poised to walk off the job overnight Friday after the ALPA served a strike notice Monday.

Already the airline had cancelled hundreds of flights in anticipation of its fleet being grounded.

The shutdown affected dozens of routes within Canada and to the U.S. and overseas, while flights at the WestJet Encore regional service and the WestJet-owned Sunwing Airlines were unaffected.

The airline had grounded the bulk of its fleet Thursday, including for its Swoop subsidiary, parking their 130 planes at airports from Vancouver to Halifax and leaving thousands of travellers in limbo across the country.

WestJet said Friday morning it was re-starting operations as quickly and efficiently as possible, however the full resumption of operations will take time.

"Guests remain encouraged to continue to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport," the airline said.

A membership vote on the agreement will begin in the coming days, the two sides said.

“After months of tough negotiations with management, we are pleased to announce an agreement-in-principle that goes a long way to recognizing the value and expertise we bring to our airline every day,” said Capt. Bernard Lewall, chair of the WestJet ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC).

"This contract will also help solve many of WestJet’s pilot attraction and retention issues, benefiting everyone involved from our company to our passengers and fellow employees.”

The union said WestJet pilots have fallen behind their North American counterparts in recent years with regard to critical contract provisions, including job protections, career advancement, compensation, and scheduling flexibility.

The airline said it was pleased to have reached a tentative agreement that is "industry-leading within Canada."

"We appreciate we were able to arrive at a deal, however, recognize the impact on our guests and we sincerely appreciate their patience during this time," WestJet Group chief executive officer Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a statement.

"We are pleased to now return our focus to providing friendly, reliable and affordable air service to Canadians for years to come.”

The WestJet ALPA leaders and airline both said they believe the contract provides better job security, enhanced compensation, and more flexible schedules to allow for a better work/life balance.

“When I started at WestJet 18 years ago, it was seen as a career destination,” Lewall said in a statement.

“For the past several years, we have unfortunately been nothing more than a training ground for pilots looking to leave for better opportunities.

"This contract will change that and make WestJet a career destination once again.”

Throughout negotiations, the union said WestJet management repeatedly spoke to its growth strategy.

"If ratified, the pilots will send a strong message that they remain committed to being a major contributor to WestJet’s success and help the company recognize its growth strategy," the union said.

— With files from The Canadian Press

Minister won't say whether Canada wants to join the AUKUS defence pact

Story by Murray Brewster • CBC

May 8, 2023

Canada would like closer cooperation with its closest allies in the areas of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced technology, Defence Minister Anita Anand said Monday.

But she refused to say whether her government has formally asked its allies for permission to join the AUKUS defence and security pact in a non-nuclear capacity.

The deal — involving the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia — was announced in September 2021, much to the surprise of many western allies.

A major component of the pact involves the acquisition by Australia of American and British nuclear submarine technology. Less well-known are the aspects of the agreement that deal with technology transfers and the sharing of sensitive intelligence.

The Liberal government previously dismissed AUKUS as an attempt by Washington to sell nuclear submarines to its allies. But many in Canada's defence and security establishment — both inside and outside of government — have expressed concern about Ottawa's absence from the pact, especially when it comes to technology and intelligence-sharing.

The Globe and Mail reported on Monday that Canada is interested in becoming part of the non-nuclear portion of AUKUS — essentially the technology transfer aspect, minus the nuclear submarines. New Zealand reportedly has expressed the same interest.

"Canada is highly interested in furthering cooperation on AI, quantum computing and other advanced technologies ... with our closest allies," Anand told reporters following the arrival of Poland's deputy prime minister at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. "We are always looking for ways to facilitate and collaborate with our closest allies on these and other measures."

She pointed to the existing intelligence-sharing arrangement among the "Five Eyes" group of western nations — the U.S., Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand — and insisted cooperation among them remains solid.

Anand was asked by reporters three times whether Canada had asked allies for permission to join AUKUS. She avoided answering the question.

Several defence sources tell CBC News there has been no formal request to join the arrangement, non-nuclear or otherwise, but there have been recent discussions about efforts to cooperate further on technology which might "intersect" with AUKUS.

Earlier this year, Canada's vice chief of the defence staff opened a "capability dialogue" with her British counterpart.

CBC News is not naming the confidential sources of information because they are not authorized to speak publicly.

Related video: Canada seeks to join AUKUS security pact: report (Global News)

Duration 1:40   View on Watch

Since the AUKUS deal was announced, allies have held several meetings during which the Canadian representatives were "quite vocal" about their absence from the table, the sources said.

The message from allies in return, said sources, was that Canada needed to be prepared to "step up and deliver capabilities," preferably hard military equipment, in order to be part of the security and defence pact.

Conservative defence critic James Bezan described Canada's absence from the pact as a major failure on the part of the Liberal government.

"Canada should be a part of it, whether or not Canada can be a part of it based upon the current government, their lack of investment in our armed forces as well as their inability to make decisions," Bezan said Monday.

Allies alarmed by state of Canada's military: report

Citing leaked intelligence reports authored by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Washington Post reported a few weeks ago that allies are becoming increasingly worried about the state of Canada's military capabilities and readiness.

Some allies, one of the sources said, have largely given up and now look to Canada to provide what is known as "white collar defence capabilities" — a reference to cyber warfare and intelligence.

But Canada's edge in that field could be eroded by some of the cooperation already taking place under the auspices of AUKUS.

Australia now has a direct pipeline to some of the most advanced AI research being conducted by the U.S. and Britain, along with military hardware.

Through the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, Washington has indicated that by 2025, "the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community must be AI-ready."

Recently, the U.S. Air Force created its own venture capital division, AFVentures. One of the companies it has funded is the Australia-based Curious Things, which is being contracted to revamp the USAF recruiting system.


A U.S. F-35 fighter jet flies over the Eifel Mountains near Spangdahlem, Germany on Feb. 23, 2022.© Harald Tittel/The Associated Press

In addition, the AUKUS deal opened the door for Australia to acquire long-range AGM-158B joint air-to-surface standoff missiles, which can be loaded on either F-18s or F-35s.

The autonomous, long-range missile, with a range of up to 900 kilometres, is a step up from the current missiles Australia is using.

Canada is also planning to buy the F-35 stealth fighter and recently signaled a $6.3 billion purchase of air-to-air missiles. To attack ground targets, the Canadian air force uses the GBU-53/B StormBreaker smart bomb, which requires the warplane to get in close to the target.

From a military perspective, the sources said, Canada has been concerned about maintaining interoperability with its allies.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for PERMANENT ARMS ECONOMY 

PETITE BOURGEOIS REACTIONARY

Former Niagara area councillor facing 4 charges connected to truck convoy protests

Story by Aura Carreño Rosas • May 4, 2023

Former West Lincoln councillor Harold Jonker stands outside a police station in Grimsby, 

where he said he turned himself in. Police said he was arrested and charged on April 29.

© Tim Jonker/YouTube

Former West Lincoln councillor Harold Jonker is facing several charges for his involvement with the 2022 truck convoy protests, police say.

Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) said Jonker was arrested April 29, not far from West Lincoln township, after he turned himself in at a police station in Grimsby, Ont.

Ottawa Police Service told CBC Hamilton in an email Jonker has been charged with two counts of counselling "an uncommitted indictable offence," one count of mischief/obstruct property and one count of intimidation by blocking or obstructing highway.

Jonker was the Ward 2 councillor in West Lincoln before losing his seat by 180 votes to Joann Chechalk in the October 2022 municipal elections.

While in office earlier last year, Jonker was suspended from the West Lincoln council for 30 days without pay due to his participation in the protests.

In February, 2022 Jonker attended a council-related committee meeting virtually from Ottawa while occupying some streets around Parliament Hill.

Jonker — who is also the operations manager at Jonker Trucking Inc. — had gone to Ottawa to participate in the convoy protest on Jan. 28, 2022. The former councillor said he was there to "support the movement for freedom and bringing the truth of the gospel."

The action was determined by Ottawa police to be "unlawful" and led to a call by West Lincoln Integrity Commissioner John Mascarin for an investigation.

After his arrest, in a video posted May 1 to a YouTube channel under the name of Tim Jonker, Jonker said he's had an "emotional week" after finding out Ottawa police had a warrant for his arrest.

"We're concerned, this is not easy," he said.

Niagara Const. Barry Ravenek told CBC Hamilton in an email that Ottawa police asked Niagara police for assistance on the case and confirmed Jonker arrived to 8 District station last weekend.

He was then arrested, charged and released on an undertaking.

He's expected to appear in an Ottawa courthouse on May 10, said Ravenek.

A divisive councillor

During his time in office, Jonker's actions in Ottawa caused divisions locally.

In a series of tweets on Feb. 11, 2022, Ward 3 councillor William Reilly said Jonker had missed several meetings and said he should consider resigning.

"I call on [Jonker] to either resign his seat if he's going to con't to neglect his municipal responsibilities or to resume representing the residents of ward 2 at Council," he wrote.

However, West Lincoln's former mayor, Dave Bylsma, supported Jonker.

Bylsma shared a photo posing with Jonker and a truck last February. Bylsma was not re-elected in the municipal elections and was replaced with former Ward 3 councillor Cheryl Ganann.

Ottawa police said numerous investigations related to the 2022 protests are still ongoing.

"There are convoy-related investigations that have revealed other peripheral investigations or assisted police in identifying other/new suspects," police said in an email.

The protests began in January 2022 calling for an end to all vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions. Thousands joined the movement that clogged numerous downtown Ottawa streets for over three weeks before the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada's history.

Several protest organizers are also facing charges and are expected to face trial in September.

HERERT MARCUSE ON TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY

 

PROPERTY IS THEFT 

Ontario tenant hit with $350-a-month rent hike calls for more transparency in lease agreements

RENT IS INFLATIONARY

Story by Samantha Beattie • CBC

Monday, May 15, 2023

Hit with a surprise $350-a-month rent hike for her St. Catharines, Ont., home, Kara Petrunick says she'd never have signed the lease had she known the 17.5 per cent increase was allowed.

"It's a slap in the face," said Petrunick.

The naturopathic doctor said she rented the new, spacious three-bedroom townhouse at 177 Russell Ave. in 2021 for $2,000 a month, at the higher end of the rental market, but close to work and family.

Petrunick, 36, signed a lease that included an information brochure from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) outlining both parties' rights and responsibilities, as seen by CBC Hamilton.

Ontario requires landlords to provide the brochure to tenants before the tenancy begins, as stated at the top of the document.

But in retrospect, Petrunick said the LTB brochure is "sneakily written" and left her under the false impression her unit was rent controlled.

 
Brochure not a 'comprehensive summary': LTB

The brochure says landlords have the right to increase rent but typically "only once a year by the guideline that is set by the Ontario Government."

That means in 2023, for example, landlords can increase rent only by 2.5 per cent. Anything higher and they'd have to make their case and get approval from the LTB.

However, despite listing some exceptions, the brochure makes no mention that for homes occupied for the first time after Nov. 15, 2018, such as newer builds like Petrunick's townhouse, landlords can increase rent by any amount.

Related video: Rent Guidelines Board to hear testimony today from tenants, landlords on proposed rent hikes (News 12 ) Duration 0:39  View on Watch

cbc.ca Ontario ombudsman details the worst of tenant, landlord cases stalled at LTB

0:50

Premier Doug Ford's government scrapped rent control for newly-built or newly-converted rental units shortly after taking office in 2018. It was pitched as a way to encourage developers to construct purpose-built rentals.

"If I had known there was no rent control, I wouldn't have rented it. There's no way," Petrunick said.

LTB spokesperson Janet Deline told CBC Hamilton its brochure is "not meant to be a comprehensive summary" of the Residential Tenancies Act.

Deline directed landlords and tenants to "explore materials" on the LTB's Renting in Ontario web page.

Petrunick's residential tenancy agreement form also contained outdated information, stating that if a landlord wants to raise the rent above the provincial guideline, tenants can oppose it at the LTB — a right tenants of newer homes no longer have.

She signed her lease for Feb. 1, 2021 — a month before the province updated the form to include the fact new builds aren't rent controlled. Both versions are available to download on the province's website.

Landlord says increased costs are to blame for rent hike

In an interview with CBC Hamilton, Petrunick's landlord Alaa Yousif, a Mississauga-based real estate broker, said he was raising rent 17.5 per cent for all 16 units to cover a "significant increase" in costs including for mortgages, property taxes, insurance, snow removal and landscaping.

He said his company Limitless Management and Services developed the vacant land with the intention of selling all the units individually, but decided to rent them out instead after construction costs ran high.

In a letter to Petrunick earlier this year, Yousif said the 17.5 per cent rent increase is necessary.


Landlord Alaa Yousif says he'll be increasing rent for all 16 units.

© Samantha Beattie/CBC

"This is the first increase I have provided since you occupied the unit and purposely did not increase until now and tried to hold off as long as possible," Yousif wrote. "But the expenses have gone to a point where I am unable to hold off on increasing rental prices."

Petrunick said she understands why the province made the change — to promote building more housing — but it doesn't seem to be playing out that way. She'll stay in the townhouse because there are few other homes for rent in her neighbourhood.

"It feels like [landlords] are taking advantage of the system to make more profit," Petrunick said. "If you're going to build more housing at these prices, it's not sustainable for anybody."

‘I have to sacrifice’: Nova Scotians struggle to afford gluten-free food

Story by Ella Macdonald •Global News

 Apr 27, 2023

Deanna Wilband has had celiac disease since 2018.

© Ella Macdonald / Global News

Members of the celiac and gluten-intolerant community in Nova Scotia say they are struggling amid the rising cost of gluten-free necessities.

Inflation has made the most basic dietary staples, like bread and cereal, up to five times the cost of their gluten counterparts, according to Celiac Canada, the national organization for the autoimmune disease.

“I work full-time, I’m 31 years old, I have a college education, and I would not be able to live on my own,” said Deanna Wilband, who has celiac and recently moved in with her brother in order to support herself and her 10-year-old son.

Wilband, who works for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as a data coordinator, was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2018, after months of bloating, stomach pain, migraines, rashes, sore throat and fatigue.

She said she’s seen the prices for gluten-free food triple in the last three years.

“I find in the grocery store I have to put things back," Wilband said.

“I will never buy something myself and put something back for my child. So either I don’t eat, or I’m eating a lot less than I should be eating because I have to sacrifice.”

Wilband said it has gotten so bad at times that her parents have had to buy her groceries or have given her gluten-free snacks as Christmas and birthday presents, which have now become luxuries due to marked-up prices.

Angela Thomson is in a similar position. As the mother of two young children, she frequently has to watch her pocketbook, while trying to ensure her daughter is included despite having celiac.

“Trying to afford the everyday basics for their lunches, for their breakfasts, just their food — it has been really, really, hard,” Thomson said.

Four-year-old Marissa was diagnosed with celiac when she was two years old, after lots of stomach complaints, flu-like symptoms, and weight loss.

Lately, Thomson said making sure both her children have everything they need week-to-week is challenging.

“I would go to the grocery store and say ‘OK, Zachary needs a box of cereal, but so does Marissa. Well, they both need the cereal.’ So, it's just frustrating, to have to pick between my kids,” Thomson said through tears.

For people like Wilband and Marissa, cutting out the regular gluten-containing products, like wheat, rye, barley, oats, brewer's yeast, triticale and malt, isn’t enough as cross-contamination could still cause weeks of illness.

Wilband said it takes as little as a crumb for her to get sick, making going out for meals near impossible.

"A lot of the time I’ll just get water. Or I’ll eat my bar while all my friends or my family eat because I can’t risk being sick for two weeks.”

It causes a lot of anxiety, Wilband said, not just out of the house, but also at home where she has to constantly ensure her son’s gluten-containing food doesn’t contaminate her own.

“We have separate utensils, separate toasters, a lot of separation,” Wilband said.

But even extreme diligence is not enough in some cases. A few months ago, Marissa broke out in a full-body celiac-induced rash. Thomson said they went over every exposure Marissa could possibly have.

“We were talking back and forth with the daycare, back and forth with the school, and it finally hit me that she was coming into contact with Play-Doh,” Thomson said.

Thomson said she is constantly trying to make sure Marissa has the same opportunities as her brother. Every school event, celebration and holiday requires planning.

“Going to a birthday party, I have to go and buy a cupcake mix. Well, a cupcake mix with gluten is like $3 or $4. For a gluten-free cake mix, it’s about $8.99, $10,” Thomson said.

According to dietitian Acacia Puddester, even the most basic staples have shot up in price.

“A loaf of gluten-free bread is anywhere from say $6.99 up to $10.99 for one loaf,” she said, adding that she worries that people who can’t afford specialty gluten-free may try to put up with discomfort.

“If they have celiac disease, it is doing damage inside, specifically to their intestine, that they may not be aware of and that damage can prevent your body from absorbing nutrients from other foods for long-term,” Puddester said.

This is on top of the risks of cancer, infertility, as well as other chronic illnesses.

Lisa Harrison, executive director of the Brunswick Street Mission, said its foodbank always tries to have gluten-free food available, but the costs have been rising, limiting access.

“People often make themselves sick by eating food they are not supposed to because it's all they can get. Speaking as someone who is gluten-free myself, I will sometimes cheat and eat something that’s got gluten in it just because I’m starving,” Harrison said.

Celiac Canada is pushing the federal government for better tax relief for those with celiac disease after many Canadians with celiac said Ottawa’s most recent grocery rebate didn’t go far enough.

“When they announce things like a grocery rebate I’m like, ‘OK, that’s great, that would really help, I could go out and stock up on things and fill the freezer for Marissa,'” Thomson said. “But then I come to find out, ‘No, you don’t qualify because you make too much money.’ Well, how is it that I make too much money and my cupboards are bare most of the time?”

Without the federal support they need, celiac Haligonians will have to get creative when it comes to feeding themselves.

Puddester suggests focusing on foods that are naturally gluten-free in the grain food group, like rice and quinoa, and going to potatoes for much-needed carbohydrates.

She also recommended Haligonians take advantage of the FlashFood app and buy in bulk when possible.

Canadians need to know being gluten-free is not a choice for those who are celiac or gluten-intolerant, Wilband said.

“We will be violently ill, and it causes a lot of heartache, a lot of stress, a lot of anxiety,” she said. “We’re not doing this as a fad, we really are suffering from a disease.”

COACHING IS ABUSE

Luge athlete claims life-altering Whistler head injury was culmination of coach's 'selfish' abuse

Story by CBC/Radio-Canada • 

Garrett Reid is pictured in an undated photo. Reid, now 19, is suing his former coach and Luge Canada over a crash in Whistler, B.C., in 2019.© Supplied by Reid family

An athlete who was left with a long list of "catastrophic" injuries after a run at the Olympic luge track in Whistler, B.C., more than three years ago has filed a lawsuit claiming the incident was the culmination of years of harassment, bullying and hazing by a coach who put his own goals over a teenager's safety.

Garrett Reid, now 19, has claimed coach Matthew McMurray was abusive towards him while he was racing for the national NextGen team in 2018 and 2019.

The lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court alleged the abuse ultimately led Reid to lose control on the fastest section of track at the Whistler Sliding Centre — on an altered sled in a helmet that should have been replaced — during a training run on Nov. 16, 2019.

"Garrett was bullied, abused and harassed constantly by his coach, Matthew McMurray, for years. We were told by Luge Canada to 'keep it in the luge family' and that McMurray would be supervised and dealt with. They did nothing," the family said in a statement Tuesday.

"We are bringing this action now because we want accountability, we want to expose the abuse and failures of Luge Canada in order to protect future athletes, and we want compensation for Garrett."

None of Reid's allegations have been proven. McMurray has not filed a response nor responded to CBC's request for comment.

Luge Canada, accused in the lawsuit of covering up abuse, has not responded in court but sent a brief statement.

"The health and safety of all of our athletes is Luge Canada's first priority. Garrett suffered an unfortunate accident in 2019, which has impacted us all in the luge community very profoundly," read an email.

"With the matter before the courts, we will reserve all further comments on the accident and the case to ensure we allow for due legal process to take place."

Replacement helmet allegedly denied after 2019 crash

Reid grew up in Whistler and started in luge when he was seven years old. The claim said he made the NextGen team at 15, joining the ranks of the country's "next generation of elite luge athletes" under coaches including McMurray.

Luge is widely known as the fastest sport in the Winter Olympics. Athletes ride a flat sled through a course on their back, feet first, approaching speeds of up to 140 km/h.

Early in 2019, Reid had a crash during the lead-up to the Junior World Luge Championship in Austria. The lawsuit said he asked for medical attention because his sled had flipped up and hit the right side of his head, but that McMurray refused and told Reid to "stop asking."

Medical imaging later revealed Reid had healed facial fractures, according to the lawsuit. The claim said his performance was diminished afterward and the alleged abuse got worse.

"McMurray heightened his verbal and psychological abuse," read the claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court.

"Garrett was subjected to daily bullying, humiliation, hazing, threats and intimidation by McMurray."

The lawsuit said Reid continued wearing his damaged helmet after the Austria crash because both McMurray and Luge Canada failed to give him a new one.

Sandpaper put on sled ahead of Whistler crash: lawsuit

That November, Reid was training at the Whistler Sliding Centre when McMurray allegedly told Reid to add strips of sandpaper to his sled, one at a time, though he'd never done it before. Using sandpaper is a training technique to log faster run times by reducing a racer's control over their sled, the lawsuit alleged.

The day of the training run, Reid claimed McMurray added sandpaper to his sled and placed him at the men's starting position — the highest spot on the track — despite usual training protocol for racers to start lower on the track and work their way up.

The teenager lost control at corner 16, also known as "Thunderbird Corner," near the end of the run. The claim said he hit his head at the same point on his helmet as he had in the Austrian crash earlier in the year.

Reid, then 16, was left with a long list of injuries, including a traumatic brain injury.

"McMurray's conduct leading up to the injury was an abuse of power and exploitation of the trust and psychological intimacy inherent to the relationship between a coach and a young athlete, particularly one intent on succeeding in a highly competitive sporting endeavour," read the claim filed last week.

"The selfish, high-handed and callous conduct of McMurray warrants condemnation through the court."

The lawsuit is claiming damages from McMurray for allegedly denying Reid medical care after Austria, adding sandpaper to his sled in Whistler and an overall pattern of abuse and mistreatment.

Luge Canada is being sued as McMurray's employer and for allegedly "silencing complainants, witnesses and/or whistleblowers" who tried to speak out against abusive treatment.

The lawsuit also claims Luge Canada buried documents showing "credible complaints" against McMurray because its leadership prioritized avoiding "scandal" over protecting its NextGen athletes

Newly arrived Ukrainians making a big splash in Canadian artistic swimming

Story by Teddy Katz • CBC

Apr 23, 2023

A newcomer from Ukraine forced to flee the war in her country is having an immediate impact on Canada's artistic swimming community, as results at a recent World Cup event in Markham, Ont., demonstrate.

Montreal's Audrey Lamothe won bronze medals in the women's solo technical and women's solo free. Afterward, the 18-year-old gave a lot of the credit to one of her new coaches in particular, Yelyzaveta (Lyza) Yakhno.

"Lyza is very good (role) model for me. She inspires me a lot to get better and better because I think she's a very strong woman," Lamothe said. "Lyza inspires me not to be as strong as her, but just to have some piece of it to give me energy and to fight like her when I swim."

Throughout the World Cup, Yakhno was never far from her young pupil's side. Yakhno has been the assistant coach for Team Canada since she arrived in Canada in September.

The 24-year-old helped Ukraine win bronze in the team event at the recent Olympics in Tokyo. In 2018, World Aquatics named her the top artistic swimmer in the world.

"I feel like I have lived three lives already," Yakhno said, who was forced to flee her hometown of Donetsk at age 15 after Russia invaded the eastern Ukraine city in March 2014. "My parents often had to go underground to hide themselves because of the bombs," she said. "One of the rockets even landed in the garden of my uncle's house and thankfully didn't explode."


Yakhno, third from left, celebrates the bronze medal she won with Ukraine's artistic swimming team at the Tokyo Olympics.© AFP via Getty Images
Surprise message

She says her second life came when she moved to Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, close to the Russian border. The coach of Ukraine's national team spotted her talent for artistic swimming at a competition and invited her to join, putting her on a path to the Tokyo Olympics.

After the games, she began thinking about coaching and maybe even buying a house with her boyfriend. But on Feb. 24, 2022, right after the Beijing Olympics, Russia invaded Ukraine again and her plans changed in an instant. Kharkiv came under heavy fire. Like all Ukrainians, Yakhno was trying to figure out how to stay safe with her mom, boyfriend, and their families.

That's when she says she got a surprise message from Canada Artistic Swimming (CAS).

"One week after the war started, Canada Artistic Swimming texted me with an offer to coach," she said. "I didn't know what to do. I was so lost. After a month, I decided, why not? I'll give it a try."

Valuable perspective

Jackie Buckingham was the CEO of Canada Artistic Swimming at the time.

Related video: Knox claims bronze medal for Canada at Mare Nostrum Swim event (cbc.ca)

Duration 4:45  View on Watch

"We have always been close to Ukraine, in terms of working together in the sport and just supporting each other," said Jackie Buckingham, who was CEO of CAS before retiring from the role this past January. "We were devastated when the war broke out. We were looking for ways that we could help the artistic swimming team at one point, early on, the whole team was going to come to Canada to train with our national team."

That proved to be too challenging logistically, but Team Canada did need an assistant coach and turned to Yakhno.

"We are fairly fortunate here," Buckingham said. "To have exposure to someone who's had the tough life experience that she's had was so valuable to be able to put things in perspective. She has a way of communicating that is just so soft. That was part of the attraction."

That brought Yakhno to Canada, where she says her third life began. She is living in Montreal in a rental unit the team used in the past. As luck would have it, the owner is from Ukraine and has made her feel right at home.

At the World Cup in Markham, Yakhno was thrilled to see some of her old teammates from Ukraine's national team. Ukraine has trained in Italy for most of the past year after the pool in Kharkhiv, where the national team trains, was destroyed by a bomb.

More than 100 newcomers and refugees who have settled in Canada over the past year were in the stands at the Markham event, many of them waving Ukrainian yellow and blue flags. CAS offered newcomers who fled the war free tickets for the event. They snapped them up within days and were rewarded with two gold and two silver won by the Ukraine team.

'Ukrainian mermaids'

Maryna Saidova is a settlement team coordinator in Toronto who works closely with Ukrainian newcomers and helped make the arrangements. Her own connections to the sport run deep. Her mother-in-law is the head coach for Ukraine.

"Media back home have dubbed the team 'Ukrainian's mermaids'," Saidova said after Ukraine. "We are so proud of how the team has become one of the best in the world. Despite the war, they continue to be at the top."

Maryna Obleshchenko is one of the Ukrainian newcomers who took in the event with her 11-year-old daughter, Daria.

Daria was an up-and-coming swimmer back in Ukraine but hadn't been in a pool since the war broke out. Their hometown in Crimea was occupied on the first day of the invasion.

Obleshchenko says taking in the World Cup was a "mind shifting event" for her and her family.

"I didn't even know Canada had an artistic swimming team," she said. "My daughter said to me, 'How old are these girls? When did they start to train to be so great? Is it possible for me to join'?"

Obleshchenkso says she is going to try to find out the answers to those questions but in the meantime about a week after the event she signed up Daria and her four-year-old for swimming at a community centre near where they live.

That's music to the ears of Steve Wallace, the new CEO of CAS.

Wallace believes in a few years we will see many of these Ukrainian newcomers involved in the sport at the highest levels.

"The sport is part of their DNA," he said. "Our clubs and provinces throughout the country wherever the newcomers are settling are telling us they are getting a lot of Ukrainians coming straight into their clubs, and they are integrating them in as coaches and athletes.

Wallace says Ukrainians love for the sport is already paying dividends for Canada.

Besides Yakhno coaching, Olena Verbinska, who was born in Kiev and moved to Canada when she was six, is also on the national team.

Wallace said he is going to look for ways to continue to build those connections. If the sport can help the newcomers with their transition and they can help Canada, which hasn't won an Olympic medal in artistic swimming in years, he sees it as a win-win.

Panthers star Brandon Montour's 'amazing year' celebrated by family, First Nations community

"It's exciting to know that a Native is playing in the NHL," 

Story by Aicha Smith-Belghaba, Eva Salinas • CBC

May 12, 2023

It's the second period in another intense NHL playoff game. On this particular Sunday, it's Game 3 in the series that has pitted the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Florida Panthers.

For most fans of the Leafs, the Eastern Conference second round has been, excitedly, the farthest their team has made it in 19 years.

But for supporters of the blue and white in Six Nations of the Grand River who were watching the game at a community centre, loyalties were torn. One of their own, Brandon Montour, is a star for the other team.

Arihwaiens Martin, who helped organize the watch party at Gathering Place by the Grand, said his entire family are Toronto fans, adding: "The Panthers, for me, [are] important because Brandon's on there. Number 62.

"I knew there would be the Leafs fans [watching]. That's through and through here on Six Nations. But then there's Panthers, you know — hometown hero, right?"

While adults watched the game on a big screen inside, about a dozen or so kids were running around in the front foyer, hockey sticks in hand, slapping pucks into a small net. For them, the defenceman — who, as of earlier Friday, had scored nine points for the Panthers in 11 games during these playoffs — is someone they look up to.

"It's exciting to know that a Native is playing in the NHL," said Jobi Isaacs, 13.


Eleven-year-old Bella Beaver, left, and a friend attend a Six Nations of the Grand River watch party. Bella plays hockey and was cheering for the Leafs.© Eva Salinas/CBC

Jobi said he's been playing hockey since he's "been able to go on the ice." Like Montour, he's from Six Nations, the most populous First Nations reserve in Canada.

Is Jobi the next Montour? "Maybe," he said with a shy smile and a shrug.

Garett Longboat, 11, plays with the Hagersville Hawks. He wants to make the NHL one day, and said Montour's playoff performance is inspiring.

Bella Beaver, 11, was standing nearby in a Leafs jersey. She plays for the Haldimand Rivercats and is sticking with Toronto. "Go Maple Leafs!" she shouted.

The Leafs enter Friday night's game down 3-1, so it's a must win as the series returns to Toronto.



Esenogwas Jacobs, left, attended the Game 3 watch party with her son Jamie, 6, her 15-month-old Ogwiyase and her partner, Rick Brant. © Eva Salinas/CBC

Esenogwas Jacobs was also at the watch party — a fundraiser for local language immersion school Kawenni:io — with her partner Rick Brant, his six-year-old son Jamie and their 15-month-old.

"I'm not much of a hockey fan," Jacobs said. "[Jamie] just started ice skating, so he's really into hockey…. We told him there was an Ogwehoweh guy playing and he was so pumped. He doesn't really know who he is, but he's excited that it's someone who we know that's from here."

Aunt gets 'complete joy' seeing Montour's success

Montour's star has been rising since the 29-year-old, born in nearby Brantford, Ont., was drafted into the NHL by the Anaheim Ducks in 2014. He played with the Ducks for nearly three seasons before being traded to Buffalo in 2019 and then to Florida in 2021.

A goal by Montour on April 30, with one minute left in the third period — the goal that tied the game against the Boston Bruins and helped send the Panthers on to the next round — caught the attention of many.

"This week has been crazy," Montour's aunt, Jaime Lynne Montour, told CBC Hamilton earlier this week.

"The further it goes, the more intense it gets, especially for those that know us and know that that's our family, right?"

Jaime Lynne, who's been watching Montour play since he was a kid and whose children have watched him their whole lives, said the moment feels "big."

"You hear from people across the nation, across Turtle Island, and they know your name? … To see your last name in the lights like that? Like, you know for a fact the ancestors, they're so proud."

Jaime Lynne said Montour "had great potential his whole life," and was always a great hockey and lacrosse player. She credits her family, including her parents and her brother, Montour's father, for helping to create "such greatness."

She recalls going to a game in Buffalo and her son choked up even before they had reached their seats, just seeing Montour warm up.

"I can't limit it to how it actually feels with one word. It is this overall, just complete joy that this person who I'm connected with, has truly found his purpose, and can truly excel and bring awareness for Indigenous communities, Indigenous children — give hope, where fear once limited us from being able to step outside that comfort, you know?"

Speaking to media ahead of Game 2 against Toronto last week, Montour said the support from back home "is huge."

"A lot of fans are rooting for us," he said.

Even diehard Leafs fans have been admiring Montour's on-ice performances.

Jaime Lynne recounted watching a recent game in a sports bar in Ontario, surrounded by blue and white.

"Me and my son are sitting there in our Florida Panthers [jerseys]," she said, recalling getting some boos from the crowd, until someone noticed her jersey was signed and asked about it.

"'Well, it's my nephew,'" she told them. "And all of a sudden, people's attitudes switch, right? Like, that's your family. They're like, 'He's doing amazing, he's having an amazing year. But you know, can you just tell him to stop?'"

Brandon Montour shining for surprising Panthers: ‘I just wanted to run with it’

By Joshua Clipperton

The Canadian Press
Thu., May 4, 2023

TORONTO - Brandon Montour unloaded a one-timer and watched the puck hit the back of the net before dropping to one knee and sweeping his glove over the ice in celebration.

The third-period goal on a delayed penalty took the air out of Scotiabank Arena and gave his Florida Panthers breathing room on the way to a 4-2 victory in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

For anyone not paying attention this season, Montour stepping up in a key moment has become the norm.

The 29-year-old defenceman nearly doubled his career high with 73 points in 2022-23 after finally getting the chance to play a bigger role in his eighth NHL campaign.

Largely a third-pair blueliner until this past fall, Montour was elevated to Florida’s second duo and earned power-play quarterback duties on the team’s No. 1 unit.

He was shot out of a cannon early in the schedule, and never looked back in setting a franchise record for points by a defenceman.

“Getting out there more, getting the opportunities, them believing in,” Montour said when explaining his rise ahead of Game 2 against Toronto. “I just wanted to run with it, take as much advantage as I can with that, and show what I could do.

“Things have been good.”

Montour, who also tied Florida’s high-water mark for goals by a defenceman in a season with 16, was selected in the second round of the 2014 NHL draft by the Anaheim Ducks before getting traded to Buffalo during the 2018-19 campaign.

He would endure parts of three miserable campaigns with the Sabres, including an 18-game losing streak in 2021, before mercifully getting dealt to Florida.

On top of Montour’s regular-season stats, his six goals through eight playoff contests — including a late equalizer in the Panthers’ dramatic Game 7 upset of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins in the first round — is the third-most by a defenceman in NHL history to start a playoffs, behind only Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey.

“I’ve tried to play the same way,” he said of his offensive explosion after putting up 37 points last season. “Numbers change with the amount of ice time and power play, but I think that was always a strength of mine.

“It was just a matter of getting out there and doing it.”

The product of Ohsweken, Ont., on Six Nations of the Grand River Territory — Canada’s most populous reserve and not far from Wayne Gretzky’s hometown of Brantford — has appreciated the support back home despite it being in the middle of Leafs country.

“It’s huge,” said Montour, who was also born in Brantford. “A lot of fans are rooting for us.”

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, in his first year in South Florida, said the blueliner’s fitness level gave him the foundation to get going following a tough training camp.

“Came out of the gate very strong,” Maurice said. “He starts putting up (power-play) numbers. That in turn allows his 5-on-5 game to settle.”

The third part of the equation was defence partner Marc Staal.

“Marc has been fantastic,” Maurice continued. “Marc is so incredibly consistent and experienced and knows the game and talks the game — is funny as hell. Those two guys just built a fantastic chemistry. Brandon has benefitted from that.

“He did the work to come to camp in great shape. He got the opportunity because he had some fantastic skills ... it allowed his game to settle. And then he got the right partner.”

Staal, who like Maurice is in his first season with the Panthers, has been impressed by Montour since Day 1.

“Knew he was a dynamic player,” said the 36-year-old. “But being on the ice every day and playing with him, he does some pretty incredible things.

“We rely on him a lot for our offence. He’s a big part of that. That pressure and responsibility was put on him. He just took it and ran with it.”

Montour was part of a number of blue-line tandems up and down the lineup last season, but has appreciated seeing that familiar, reliable face whenever he looks to his right.

“Great guy,” Montour said of Staal. “Keeps the room light, keeps me light. I like that connection.


“I know what he brings every night, he knows what I bring every night.”

Montour had one long playoff run with Anaheim as a rookie in 2017. It’s not lost on him these moments can be fleeting in a hockey player’s finite career.

And just like the opportunity he grabbed, the defenceman is keen to see how long the Panthers can keep this run going.

“It’s crazy ... time flies so quick,” Montour said. “This is my eighth season and we really had that one crack at it.

“You just want to win that much more.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2023.

Breakout Season for Brandon Montour Has Fueled Florida Panthers

By Colby Guy

FLORIDA HOCKEY NEWS

Brandon Montour is having a breakout season with the Florida Panthers as he has helped lead them to a spot in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs.

 // Photo courtesy Roger Lee Photographer


SUNRISE — Brandon Montour has come up huge for the Florida Panthers time and again throughout this breakout season.

Of his 16 goals — which tied for the most in Florida’s franchise history by a defenseman in a single season — five are game-winners with two being scored in overtime.

Perhaps his biggest of the season fits in neither category.

With 10:24 to go in Monday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montour jumped up into the rush and fired a feed from Carter Verhaeghe past Ilya Samsonov to tie the game and eventually send it to overtime.

He might not have known it after John Tavares scored the overtime winner but that goal ended up securing the point Florida needed to clinch a playoff spot.

Montour was upset with himself for losing a net-front battle Auston Matthews on his deflection goal that put the Maple Leafs up 1-0 but the sting hurts a little less after the Panthers got the help they needed with losses by the Penguins and Sabres to officially secure a spot in the postseason.

”As a player growing up, and especially now that I’m getting the opportunity, I want to take the opportunity to and run with it,” Montour said.

”I trust myself. On that first goal, I was a little upset with that play, I thought I could have made something there but you shake that off and you want to make the next big play and luckily that puck popped out into the slot and I found the lane.”

His game on Monday was indicative of his whole season.

No matter what happened during a game or during a season where Florida has faced many trials and tribulations, he has been able to shake it off and make big plays for the Panthers.

Montour’s five game-winning goals are tied for the fourth-most in the NHL among defensemen.

It is one of many categories Montour ranks in the Top 5 among defensemen in during a breakout season for the ages.

As a 28-year-old, he went from being a bottom-pair defenseman and a second-unit power play quarterback with 37 points to ranking fourth at his position in points with 73.

His knack for finding holes in the opposing team’s defense and picking his spots at the right time has helped him reach those heights.

”I think you just have to be a little patient,” Montour said.

”Trusting your skating is important, obviously you have to make the defensive plays there. Especially on that goal there, it does not get noticed as much, but my partner made a heck of a play in our own end and you just watch where the forwards are.

”I trust my skating and I get up there when I can and obviously Marc Staal made a great play to Carter Verhaeghe and he just went right to the middle and I was right in the slot.”

Montour has credited much of his rise to coach Paul Maurice’s confidence in him with an increased role and the stability Staal has given him on his left side.

The 36-year-old does not get talked about a lot — and sometimes negatively after a few early season turnovers — but he settled in and has made huge defensive plays next to Montour.

And it has given him the confidence he needs to jump up into the rush often.

“It starts in our own end,” Montour said. ”You have to be patient and I have been working on that all year and I feel like I’ve been doing that all year and just being smart with that and bearing down on my chances.”

With the improvement of his game came more responsibility that he had not seen before in his career.

Florida needed to find defensemen from within to eat minutes after trading MacKenzie Weegar in the blockbuster Matthew Tkachuk deal after free-agency was all said and done and Montour answered the bell quickly.

He ranks 16th among defensemen averaging a shade over 24 minutes per game, which is six more than his average last season.

Montour had to shoulder close to — or even over — 30 minutes at times when star defenseman Aaron Ekblad went down with injury and his skating ability and endurance made him a viable option to answer the bell every time.

”The grind hits and he gets up the ice so very fast,” Maurice said Monday night.

”He is an incredibly fit man. We had him at 28 minutes and none of that is easy because against a team like Toronto, you have to skate. Then he gets up the ice in the third period and he has a lot in the tank.”

His skating ability is something that Staal — despite playing in the NHL for 16 seasons — has not seen a lot of.

”I knew he was a good skater but not at the level I have seen him play,” Staal said.

”A lot of times when I’m playing with him, I don’t think he is back and he is back. I’ll watch the clip after and I’ll be like ‘he was in position because he can cover so much ground so fast,’ and that part of his game is so impressive.”

Maurice has trusted him in many different situations because of it.

He quarterbacks Florida’s power play — and has even been the lone defenseman over Ekblad at times — and is also often trusted alongside Ekblad when the Panthers pull the goalie for the extra attacker.


Florida defenseman Brandon Montour celebrates with Sasha Barkov after he scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Chicago on March 10.

 (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

”I think that goes back to maturity and experience,” Maurice said.

”Now he is on the power play, he has put up numbers, so he does not have to be up the ice the entire night indiscriminately. He picks his spots now to find the hole and then he can get into it.

”There are a lot of guys that can see the hole but there are not a lot of guys that can get into it.”

Montour has not gotten much love from national media in the conversation for the Norris Trophy, which is handed out to the NHL’s best defenseman, but he certainly deserves to be in the conversation.

Combining his point total with his knack for showing up in big situations and stability on both ends of the ice, he fits the bill.

Not to mention the fact he filled a massive hole while Ekblad was dealing with and recovering from multiple serious injuries this season.

“I think when you have the emergence of a player like that and it’s extreme, when he goes from playing in the five, six hole to running a power play and putting up the numbers that he has, I think you can look at the individual and certainly say he’s been a key piece to our success,” Maurice said.

”As that relates to the Norris Trophy, who is the most important defenseman on a team, he might be able to argue that he is. When there is a guy that is scoring 100 points and there’s some defensemen with some big, big numbers, at the end, that’s the easiest measure and that’ll be looked at.”

Published 1 month ago on April 12, 2023

https://www.nhl.com/player/brandon-montour-8477986

Brandon Montour Stats and News | NHL.com 

He had 37 points and an NHL-best 73 his first two seasons with the Panthers, respectively, and finished the 2023 Eastern Conference First Round with five goals, ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Montour

Brandon Montour - Wikipedia 

Brandon Montour (born April 11, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

NOT THE ONLY FIRST NATIONS PLAYER IN THE NHL

ESPN’s Anderson apologizes for mocking Whitecloud’s name

AND ON A NHL WINNING TEAM

May 9, 2023

Joy Drop: A free Brittney Griner is good for the soul

Story by Shireen Ahmed • Apr 28, 2023


Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury and wife Cherelle Griner speak with the media alongside the "Bring Our Families Home" mural at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Thursday.© Getty Images

Friends, it's time for Joy Drop! What an absolutely splendid week. I am fully recovered from my Eid celebrations and started the week with truly incredible women doing impactful work in the sports space.

First, I laughed and cried happy tears when Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner took my heart with her words and her poise during a press conference on Thursday. In December, Russian authorities released Griner after 10 months in prison. Thursday was the first time Griner faced reporters since she has been back. Griner has been recovering and healing from her ordeal. She intends to play in the upcoming WNBA season, but her words and her emotion had me with her response to the first question.

Griner also poked fun at her close friend and teammate Diana Tarausi, calling her "a fossil." Her comment got laughs from the packed room. Having friends who love and support you is truly a blessing.

Another piece of joy was watching the results of the London Marathon. Sifan Hassan is a Dutch runner born in Ethiopia. She ran her first marathon ever (yes, ever) and won. She had fasted all the month of Ramadan and still competed at the highest echelon of sport. She fell behind in the race, missed her water station and then even stopped to stretch out some sore muscles. Her victory is astonishing but her energy and personality is equally wondrous.

Related video: ‘I’m never going overseas to play again,’ Brittney Griner says 

(NBC News)   3:54   View on Watch

Her reflections on her own journey are incredible. She speaks of her nerves, fears and self doubt. But she also talks about how the time flew by because she was happy. I am not someone who loves running, but I do love watching others love what they do. Hassan is a stunning example of loving what you love and being immersed in gratitude and joy.

On Wednesday, Project 8 announced a third team in the proposed women's professional soccer league: AFC Toronto City. "The sky's the limit," is what Project 8 CEO Diana Matheson said about Canada's newest women's soccer city. Toronto follows Vancouver and Calgary as founding teams in the league that is set to kick off in 2025 with eight teams.

There will be opportunities for playing, buying merchandise and supporting the women's game as much as we want on a local level. This is a cause for excitement and positivity. This is also a time for Canadians to support and invest in women's soccer. We boast fantastic athletes at every level from girls to women's programs and teams. Get your wallets ready!

Last but not least, I want to share a video of my friend Tanya juggling. If you follow me on Instagram sometimes I post stories from the CBC Sports department of Tanya doing all kinds of cool tricks. Her latest video of her in New York City is so fun. Tanya is a superb human and her energy brings me joy. She's unafraid to try new things and that inspires me.

I hope you get to enjoy the weekend with your loved ones, try new things and some precious moments of laughter.