Ozempic drugmaker to open AI research hub in King’s Cross

Hannah Boland
Sat, 30 December 2023

Ozempic diabetes drug pens

Novo Nordisk is poised to open a new AI research hub in the heart of London’s science and tech neighbourhood, as it seeks to build on its weight-loss drug success using British expertise.

The Danish drug maker is understood to have leased new office space in the Knowledge Quarter in King’s Cross, London, with plans to move into the site in early 2024.

Around 40 workers are expected to be based at the site initially, bringing together teams from Novo Nordisk’s existing research, development and IT divisions. It will see the company establish a new “digital innovation hub”.


A spokesman said the move would “enable innovation and collaboration to create and apply artificial intelligence in the discovery and development of new potential drug candidates”.

The area already houses offices from some of Britain’s leading technology and drugs companies, including AstraZeneca and Google, as well as being home to science centres such as the Francis Crick Institute and the Alan Turing Institute.

The spokesman added: “The Knowledge Quarter represents a vibrant and diverse AI research ecosystem, world-renowned for its focus to drive advances in fields such as artificial intelligence, data science and engineering.

“Having a presence here will allow Novo Nordisk to better collaborate with leading research institutions, big tech and innovative start-ups, and attract top talent.”

GSK last year announced a new global headquarters to be built in King's Cross - GSK

It comes as a sign of Britain’s leading role in helping to develop next-generation drugs, with more biotech businesses created in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. Companies including Oxford-based Exscientia have emerged as pioneers in using AI to speed up drug discovery. Exscientia is currently working on a pill to prevent Covid.

Exscientia chief Andrew Hopkins has said the technology means it can speed up the amount of time a drug spends in development from four years to 18 months and reduce the number of experiments by around 90pc.

Novo Nordisk is setting up the “digital innovation hub” as it plots its next generation of treatments, after enjoying a wave of demand for obesity drugs.

It is developing a pill version of its weight-loss drug Wegovy. It also recently suggested it was looking at ways to stop people from gaining weight in the first place, instead of only treating people when they are already overweight.

Novo Nordisk has seen its market value swell by more than 45pc since the start of the year, as investors race to get a piece of the weight-loss market which could be worth $90bn (£74bn) within the coming years.

In November, Novo Nordisk revealed a 31pc jump in operating profits for the first nine months of 2023, after huge demand for the obesity treatments.

Novo Nordisk has been battling to bolster supplies of Wegovy and Ozempic, a diabetes drug which is used off-label to treat against obesity.

It recently announced a £1.8bn deal to expand its manufacturing facilities in France.

UK Military shuns heat pumps in favour of cheaper cutting-edge electric boilers

IN THE TEST STAGE NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME

Joe Pinkstone
Sat, 30 December 2023 


The cutting-edge Cylo electric boilers cost less to run than heat pumps

 - Thomas Faull/iStockphoto

The military is shunning heat pumps and instead warming soldiers’ homes with cutting-edge electric boilers that cost less to run.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have been working on “Project Nixie” since 2020, The Telegraph can reveal, focusing on finding alternatives to heat pumps for barracks.

Much of the MoD’s domestic building stock is not suitable for heat pumps, which have only been fitted in a “very small proportion” of military homes.


An MoD spokesperson said that the project was launched to find a cheaper alternative to heat pumps, which require comprehensive and expensive work to a property before installation.

One possible solution is by using Cylo boilers, which the Telegraph understands are currently being fitted in four homes at the Duke of Gloucester Barracks in South Cerney, Glos, as part of a pilot project due to start early in 2024.

Cylo is a fridge-sized, emission-free electric boiler that is cheaper to run and more effective than a heat pump.

It is also greener than a gas boiler and requires no major works to a building before it can be installed.

The boiler uses a pressurised water tank as a thermal battery, using off-peak and cheap electricity to create a “heat reservoir” that then powers radiators when needed.

Standing around 6ft tall and weighing around 250kg before being filled with water, it can be fitted in a ground floor room or on the outside of a building.

The Ministry of Defence said it was 'committed to delivering sustainable high-quality housing that meets the needs of those who serve our country' - Peter Cade/Stone RF

The product currently costs around £20,000 per unit, but manufacturers believe that the cost of the product will lower with time.

It is not available commercially but is being sold to large landlords, such as government departments and councils.

Documents show that the MoD paid about £5,000 to install each of the four trial devices, similar to the cost of installing a traditional gas boiler.

The device can be easily fitted to old buildings, with no work needed other than removing the old boiler and connecting it to pre-existing electrics and plumbing.

It warms water as effectively as a gas boiler, its makers claim, is cheaper to run and can be used with variable tariffs.

Heat pumps, however, are unable to warm radiators as effectively, meaning measures to improve home energy efficiency are often needed, such as roof and wall insulation, new windows and doors and bigger radiators – costs that can run to tens of thousands of pounds for older houses.

The Government offers a grant of up to £7,500 for heat pump installation but does not cover the costs of making a house ready for a heat pump.

The Government admits that solid wall insulation itself can cost £15,000 on older houses.

Analysis suggests that combining a Cylo electric boiler with solar panels – as at the Duke of Gloucester trial – results in 18 per cent lower annual running costs than a heat pump.

The military is understood to be moving in four families to the homes with Cylo boilers in the new year and if the trial is successful then the scheme may be rolled out nationwide to the entire entire military housing estate. The homes are also expected to be fitted with solar panels.

Device can last for 40 years

Cylo’s makers Remit Zero claim that the device can last for 40 years, while because it is a closed system it does not need to be opened for maintenance, and it makes no direct CO2 emissions because it does not use gas.

Andy Slaney, the CEO of RemitZero, said that unlike heat pumps, Cylo boilers are quiet and easy to install for a standard plumber and can heat radiators to hot temperatures instead of only lukewarm.

“There are some realities with heat pumps that are, I think, a bit of an inconvenient truth,” he said.

“They are reasonably complex pieces of kit; they have a finite life; they require quite extensive maintenance; they require electricity when heat is required; their efficiency drops off when it’s cold.

“You tend to need larger radiators and larger diameter pipe work and you need a more thermally qualified building so you can cope with a lower flow temperature.”

“At the moment, my belief is that carbon reduction and net zero is a bit of a middle-class subject, and I think for it to succeed it’s got to be accessible to all and easy to use,” Mr Slaney added.

“There’s no complicated fans and pumps and all the things that you would see associated with a heat pump installation with Cylo. For many households, this could be a great solution and that’s what we’re trying to prove with the trials over the next few months.”

The MoD is spending two weeks installing and checking the boilers at the four homes in December and installation was due to finish before Christmas. The homes are currently empty and military families will move in in the new year.

If the trial is successful then the scheme may be rolled out nationwide to the entire entire military housing estate - David Lichtneker/Alamy

The Telegraph understands that the families will give regular feedback, as well as having smart meters fitted to track the project and daily visits.

An MoD spokesman told The Telegraph: “If Project Nixie is successful it could have the potential to both reduce carbon emissions across the defence estate and reduce energy bills for service personnel and their families.

“We’re committed to delivering sustainable high-quality housing that meets the needs of those who serve our country.”

Cylo, which was invented by Prof Jeremy Miller of Brunel University, has a UK-only supply chain and is also being trialled by East Devon council in early 2024. Ten homes are set to be fitted with Cylo, The Telegraph understands, and should be ready for use by March.

The council said that the project is aiming to “decarbonise council homes and provide tenants with affordable warmth”.

It added: “Cylo is a ground-breaking technology that provides zero emission affordable heating and hot water.

“Cylo is particularly well-suited to homes occupied by those on lower incomes given its ability to store electrical energy as heat during low-cost periods.”

A combi Cylo boiler for hot water and central heating is in development and the team is also hoping to create a larger version that would work for bigger sites, such as schools and shops.

Flying Scotsman faces uncertain future


Daniel Puddicombe
Sat, 30 December 2023

The Flying Scotsman operates between Edinburgh and London - Andy Jones for the Daily Telegraph

The Flying Scotsman faces an increasingly uncertain future with no one currently contracted to look after it next year, the Sunday Telegraph can reveal.

Riley & Son, a Bury-based engineering company, has been the custodian of the famous steam train since its return to Britain’s national network in 2016.

However, there are concerns that it may be out of service for months because Riley & Son’s contract expires tomorrow, Dec 31, and the National Railway Museum, which owns the Flying Scotsman, has not issued new invitations to tender.


Ian Riley, a director of Riley & Son (E) Ltd, told the Sunday Telegraph: “We’ve heard nothing about the future. We’re as much in the dark as everyone else is. Our contract finishes on Sunday night and that’s it as far as we know until the new tender documents come out, but the NRM haven’t even decided when that will be yet.”

He added: “This isn’t an ideal place to be and I don’t know what [the NRM] is thinking.”

A spokesman for the museum said: “After the success of Flying Scotsman’s centenary year, and the locomotive’s two popular visits to the NRM, the future operation of Flying Scotsman after this date is being carefully considered.”

The spokeswoman insisted it would “safeguard the locomotive’s future” and that it would run in 2024, but would not provide a timescale of the procurement process.

The Flying Scotsman’s lack of custodian means it is effectively stranded at the National Railway Museum’s Shildon site - Russell Sach for The Telegraph

It is understood that it took five months between the last invitation to tender being issued and the contract being signed. Additionally, Network Rail requires at least 12 weeks’ notice before steam locomotives can run on the main line, while many rail tours take up to a year in advance to plan.

Further question marks over Flying Scotsman’s future operations remain following a High Court victory for the Office for Rail and Road (ORR). While Riley & Son maintain the locomotive, West Coast Railways operates it and has refused to fit modern central door locking systems to its fleet of carriages, as required by the ORR.

The Flying Scotsman’s lack of custodian means the locomotive is effectively stranded at the National Railway Museum’s Shildon site.

Meanwhile, Britain’s other world-famous steam locomotive, Tornado – which was completed in 2008, making it the first steam locomotive to be constructed since the 1960s to run on the national network, and has appeared on the Paddington 2 movie – will be returning to operations in 2024, following an overhaul, with tickets already available for its traditional Scottish season of trains from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.

Mickey Mouse: Disney to lose copyright of early version of cartoon character featured in Steamboat Willie

Sky News
Updated Sat, 30 December 2023 


An early version of Mickey Mouse, one of the most iconic characters in popular culture, will no longer have copyright protection from 2024.

Members of the public will be able to use the image of Mickey and Minnie Mouse featured in their first screen release, the 1928 short film Steamboat Willie, after the copyright expires.

US law allows copyright to be held for 95 years - with Congress expanding it several times during that period.

"It's sometimes derisively referred to as the Mickey Mouse Protection Act," Jennifer Jenkins, a professor of law and director of Duke's Center for the Study of the Public Domain said.

"That's oversimplified because it wasn't just Disney that was pushing for term extension. It was a whole group of copyright holders whose works were set to go into the public domain soon, who benefited greatly from the 20 years of extra protection."

Ms Jenkins said the change was "exciting" and "symbolic".

She said: "This is it. This is Mickey Mouse... I kind of feel like the pipe on the steamboat, like expelling smoke. It's so exciting."

The change means the public will only be able to use the more mischievous, rat-like, non-speaking boat captain seen in Steamboat Willie - not the more modern versions.

A spokesperson for Disney said: "Ever since Mickey Mouse's first appearance, people have associated the character with Disney's stories, experiences, and authentic products. That will not change when the copyright in the Steamboat Willie film expires.

"More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise.

"We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright."

Not every feature or personality trait a character displays is necessarily copyrightable, however, courts could be busy in the coming years determining what is inside and outside Disney's ownership.

Disney also holds a separate trademark on Mickey as a corporate mascot and brand identifier, and the law forbids using the character deceptively to fool consumers into thinking a product is from the original creator.

Steamboat Willie was directed by Walt Disney and his partner Ub Iwerks and was one of the first cartoons to have sound synced with its visuals.

It was the third cartoon made by Disney and Iwerks featuring Mickey and Minnie but the first to be released.

It features a more menacing Mickey captaining a boat and making musical instruments out of other animals.

Other properties entering the US public domain in 2024 are Charlie Chaplin's film Circus, Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando and Bertolt Brecht's musical play The Threepenny Opera.

The current copyright term passed in 1998 brought the US into closer sync with the European Union, making it unlikely Congress would extend it now.

Powerful companies, including Amazon with its fan-fiction-heavy publishing arm and Google with its books project, have been keen advocates for releasing properties into the public domain.

Mickey Mouse follows another childhood favourite Winnie the Pooh, which entered the public domain two years ago, resulting in the horror film Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey.

Disney is also set to lose its copyright of Winnie's beloved sidekick Tigger who first appeared in the book The House at Pooh Corner 96 years ago.

UK

Luke Littler: 16-year-old darts sensation books place in quarter-finals of World Darts Championship


Sky News
Updated Sat, 30 December 2023 


Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has booked his place in the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship.

The 16-year-old star beat darts legend and five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld - a player 40 years his senior - four sets to one in their last 16 match at Alexandra Palace in London.

Littler - the youngest player ever to reach the last 16 of the tournament - will now face Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan in the quarter-finals on New Year's Day.


Who is Luke 'The Nuke' Littler?

He may only be a teenager but Littler, from Warrington, Cheshire, has been practising his throwing for some time.

He told Sky News: "There's a video on YouTube of me when I was 18 months in a nappy listening to Raymond van Barneveld's music, listening to Phil Taylor's music, doing their celebrations.

"That's when it started - 18 months and in a nappy on a magnetic board.

"[Aged] four or five I was on a proper board but it was a bit low and then about seven to eight [years old], that's when I started playing [at] the proper height and the proper length. So it's just been all darts in my life so far."

Littler won his first match at the PDC World Championship on Wednesday, averaging an astonishing 106.12 in his demolition of former Lakeside champion Christian Kist in the first round.

He held off a mid-match charge from the experienced Andrew Gilding to knock out the 20th seed with a 3-1 win in the second round.

In the third round, Littler beat Canadian Matt Campbell four sets to one to make history as the youngest player to ever reach the last 16 of the tournament.

His form means he's suddenly on his way to being a household name, but his talent has been evident for some time.

He won the England Youth Grand Prix in 2019, became England Youth Open champion in 2021 and won his first senior title at the Irish Open later that year.

He won the Welsh Open in 2022 and this year notched further senior titles at the Isle of Man Classic, Gibraltar Open, British Open and British Classic.

The 16-year-old is also a back-to-back JDC World Champion and reigning World Youth Champion.

Fans and fame

Littler's matches have seen the famously rowdy crowd at London's Alexandra Palace - also known as Ally Pally - chanting: "You've got school in the morning."

His celebrity status is rising with every dart he throws. His Instagram account has gone from 4,000 followers at the start of this tournament to 23,500 and counting.

Read more from Sky News:
Who is the 16-year-old taking darts by storm
Footballers' union threatens action over number of games

Littler told Sky News he could feel the nation's support while on the big stage.

"Everyone's cheering, wanting my autograph and everything," he said.

"Even young kids having my darts shirt on… it was good to see when I stepped on the stage."

He also talked about the popularity of his personalised "The Nuke" darts sets.

"After my first two games in Ally Pally, 900 sets sold," he said. "People all over the world… [I] couldn't believe it. 900 sets, for winning two games at the Ally Pally!"

Straight men at fault for Hollywood failures on diversity, says Sofia Coppola

Anita Singh
Sat, 30 December 2023 

Sofia Coppola says women still make up a small percentage of filmmakers - Franco Origlia/Getty

Hollywood is failing to produce diverse cinema because “99 per cent of the people giving money in film are straight men”, according to Sofia Coppola.

The Oscar-winning writer and director said she had to cut a scene from her latest film, a biopic of Priscilla Presley, because men did not understand it.

“We lost a scene of Priscilla riding motorcycles when she was eight months pregnant,” Coppola told GQ magazine.

“I thought it was so touching that she’s trying so hard to keep up with Elvis, even in that condition. But I feel like 99 per cent of the people giving money in film are straight men, so they don’t always relate to what I’m talking about, and they’re not that interested in it.”

Priscilla Presley, left, and Sofia Coppola who said many men aren't interested in the issues she is raising - Stefanie Keenan/WireImage

Coppola added that getting projects off the ground is difficult for all independent filmmakers, particularly in the age of streaming services.

“I think it’s a challenge for a lot of filmmakers to make unusual or unique things. More and more companies are relying on their algorithms, so if they haven’t seen it before, they’re not as open to it, because they want to see something that’s already proven.

“And women still make up such a small percentage of filmmakers too. It’s gotten better, but not by much,” she said.

Priscilla Beaulieu was 14 when she first met Presley, who was a decade older and already a star. She was 21 when they married.

Priscilla Beaulieu was 14 when she first met Presley and 21 when they married - Sabrina Lantos

Coppola, the daughter of director Francis Ford Coppola, said she had drawn on memories of her own teenage celebrity crush when making the biopic.

She told the magazine: “I did tap into what I was like at a similar age. I remember I had a big crush on Joe Strummer, and he ended up recording some music [for the film Sid and Nancy] at our family property.

“So, as a 16-year-old, I was driving around in my convertible blasting The Clash and then I stopped, looked up, and Joe Strummer was standing there. I couldn’t believe it.

“I always remember feeling kind of mortified, but also so excited that Joe Strummer was at our house.

“So I can relate to that feeling of having a crush on a rock star.”

Priscilla will be released nationwide on Jan 1

Priscilla is released nationwide on Jan 1, starring rising stars Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi.

Coppola has been tipped to pick up her fourth Oscar nomination for the film.

She won the best original screenplay award in 2004 for Lost in Translation.

Algorithms and straight men are to blame for fewer diverse films – Sofia Coppola

Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Sat, 30 December 2023 

Sofia Coppola has said that “more and more companies are relying on their algorithms” instead of opting to make a greater amount of unique films.

The Oscar-winning writer and director, 52, is releasing her latest critically acclaimed flick Priscilla, which focuses on the life of Elvis Presley’s former wife, in UK cinemas on Monday.

Coppola told GQ magazine that getting a movie project off the ground is “always a challenge” and she was helped by her producer Lorenzo Mieli in securing financing for her latest film.

Coppola added: “I think it’s a challenge for a lot of filmmakers to make unusual or unique things.

“More and more companies are relying on their algorithms, so if they haven’t seen it before, they’re not as open to it, because they want to see something that’s already proven.

“And women still make up such a small percentage of filmmakers too. It’s gotten better, but not by much.”

Coppola also said that the biographical movie had to cut a scene where Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) is using a motorcycle while in her last pregnancy trimester.

Cailee Spaeny who plays Priscilla Presley. (Ian West/PA)

She said: “I thought it was so touching that she’s trying so hard to keep up with Elvis (Jacob Elordi), even in that condition.

“But I feel like 99% of the people giving money in film are straight men, so they don’t always relate to what I’m talking about, and they’re not that interested in it.”

The daughter of director Francis Ford Coppola and documentarian Eleanor Coppola won the best original screenplay Academy Award for the 2003 romantic comedy Lost In Translation.

About a fading movie star, played by Bill Murray, who meets Scarlett Johansson’s recent college graduate at a Tokyo hotel, the film also earned Coppola directing and best picture Oscar nods.

She is also known for historical drama Marie Antoinette, psychological drama The Virgin Suicides and period drama The Beguiled.

Priscilla is in cinemas on Monday January 1.

PEI
Kensington café spreading the love with 'queer levee'


CBC
Sun, December 31, 2023 

Lindsay Connolly, left, Megan Beairsto, centre, and Edward Lambert are getting set to host a levee New Year's Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Stacey Janzer/CBC - image credit)

Edward Lambert remembers attending a New Year's Day levee in Summerside, P.E.I., with a queer friend and being told their presence made the host uncomfortable.

"Somebody came up and said, 'Don't shoot the messenger but I think that you guys should leave. Like, the owner of the party is not OK with your friend.'"

The exchange stuck with Lambert, and that's one reason he's decided to host the first "queer levee" at C&B Corner Café in Kensington, which he owns with his wife, Megan Beairsto.

It's one of dozens of levees across the province that have become a tradition on P.E.I. They are held everywhere from the lieutenant-governor's mansion to UPEI, city council chambers, the Confederation Centre of the Arts and other public and private venues.

Lambert and Beairsto had planned to close for New Year's Day and attend the levees themselves. Then they decided to host one themselves from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The levee will feature fun, custom-made cocktails and mocktails.

 (C&B Corner Café/Facebook)

The café has become a "safe space" for people to be themselves, Beairsto said.

"A large portion of our staff are actually members of the queer community as well, which is amazing because that's also not always a space that people feel comfortable working in. So, it's nice to know that the staff here are comfortable in their own skin and like to work here."

The café partnered with the Under the Spire Music Festival, which hosts its annual Pride Ceilidh in the summer.

Lindsay Connolly, executive director of Under the Spire, said it's nice to be involved with something outside the summer months.

"It's a great way to just give some … non-Charlottetown love to the queer community and a place to gather," she said.

"So, it's great to be part of creating more spaces like this that are opening, inclusive and accessible to folks all across our island."

The event, for those 19 and older, will feature live music, custom cocktails and mocktails as well as other drinks and snacks. All that's asked is that customers "leave their hate at the door," Lambert said.

The café will make a donation to Mothers Against Drunk Driving for every sober driver that attends, especially given some of the alcohol-related tragedies on P.E.I. in recent months.

"It might not even be much, but it's a step in the right direction, we think," she said.

"We like to see sober drivers. We like to see people coming in and having drinks and having fun like that, but also to make sure that there's a safe way for them home."

NS
Remembering Gordon Joe: restaurateur, bodybuilder and actor


CBC
Sat, December 30, 2023 

Gordon Joe, who previously owned the Chow Yan Foo restaurant in Sydney, as well as other restaurants in Truro, Amherst, Windsor and New Minas, died on Dec. 21 at 93. (Linda Joe Sears - image credit)

A Chinese-Canadian restaurant owner is being remembered as a hard worker who also enjoyed performing in the gym and on camera.

Gordon Joe, who previously owned the Chow Yan Foo restaurant in Sydney, as well as other restaurants in Truro, Amherst, Windsor and New Minas, died on Dec. 19 at 93.

Linda Joe Sears, his youngest child, said her father only took Monday off work when she was growing up.

"What I remember most is how hard he worked," she said.

Linda said he worked at the family restaurant in Antigonish when he arrived in the province in the 1950s. She said he and four business partners eventually opened the original Ho Ho restaurant in Truro and the families lived upstairs.

"We were very frugal and in my mind we were poor," she said.

Linda said hard work paid off and the family purchased a home outside Truro, N.S., in her late teens.

Leaving China

Joe followed his father to Canada — his family fled to Hong Kong during the 1949 Chinese communist revolution.

Robert Joe, Gordon's son who was still living in Hong Kong in the 1950s, didn't know his father as a child. He said he saw his father first in a movie.

"We were in a restaurant in Hong Kong and he was on TV in the movie," Robert said. "I saw him dancing with the leading lady in this movie."

It was one of a few films Joe acted in, according to Robert. His father also had a role as restaurant owner in Margaret's Museum with Helena Bonham Carter, which was filmed in Cape Breton.

Robert remembers his father having a passion for martial arts — and he also placed second in the Mr. Eastern Canada bodybuilding competition in 1953.

Gordon Joe placed second in the Mr. Eastern Canada Bodybuilding Contest in 1953.

Gordon Joe placed second in the Mr. Eastern Canada bodybuilding contest in 1953. (Linda Joe Sears)

"I was kind of actually in fear of him " said Robert, speaking about the first time he met his father in person around age 8.

Eventually, Robert would work alongside his father and take over ownership of Fletcher's Restaurant in Truro until selling it about a decade ago.

Linda said her father also learned to sing opera in his later years and travelled with sports teams for exhibition games in China. She said he also became involved in politics while living in Toronto — part of his activism was advocating for an apology for the Chinese head tax which was meant to discourage immigration to Canada.

Her parents both lived through the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937-45.

"It was always a goal to make it to Canada because it was the good life," Linda said.

Linda said her father, and mother, Ying Fu, helped others immigrate to Canada. Ying Fu died in 2022.

Former staff offer condolences

The family businesses also provided employment to many Nova Scotians. Many provided condolences online.

Audrey Thomas worked at Chow Yan Foo for over 13 years — from the time the Joes opened the restaurant in Sydney until they sold it to new owners.

"Anyone they hired, they expected them to work [hard] and we didn't mind it because they worked so hard themselves," said Thomas.

But they stayed in touch through an annual Christmas card exchange. "I'll miss that," Thomas said.

THE UNKOWN PM
'A life of public service': Halifax-born prime minister built legacy despite death at 49

CBC
Sat, December 30, 2023 a

Former prime minister John Thompson is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Halifax. Thompson was 49 when he died, not 50 as listed on the grave marker. (Vernon Ramesar/CBC - image credit)

On Dec. 12, 1894, Canadian Prime Minister John Thompson sat down for a luncheon with Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. He died of a heart attack moments later.

Thompson, 49, born on Gottingen Street in Halifax, had only been in office for two years.

His legacy lives on in the Criminal Code of Canada that he introduced and in Dalhousie Law School, where he was a founder.

But his grave at Holy Cross Cemetery in the heart of Halifax is seldom visited today.

Portrait of John Thompson, the 4th prime minister of Canada.

Thompson was Canada's fourth prime minister. (Public Domain)

There are few other reminders in Halifax of the first of three prime ministers born in Nova Scotia.

He was followed by Charles Tupper and Robert Borden.

Life of public service

Will Langford, assistant professor of history at Dalhousie University, said Thompson "had a life of public service" despite his death before the age of 50.

Today Sir John Thompson Manor senior complex on Leppert St. in Halifax is one of the few sites named after him. The complex incorporates the former Sir John S. D. Thompson school building.

Sir John Thompson Manor on Leppert Street in Halifax is one of the few sites named after him. The complex incorporates the former Sir John S. D. Thompson school building. (Vernon Ramesar/CBC)

Langford said after being admitted to the bar in 1865, Thompson was a lawyer and a judge before his remarkable run in politics.

"The offices he held as a politician were pretty prominent," Langford said.

Will Langford is an assistant professor in the history department at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Will Langford is an assistant professor in the history department at Dalhousie University in Halifax. (Submitted by Will Langford)

He was attorney general of Nova Scotia as well as Nova Scotia premier, Langford said, then the federal minister of justice, Canada's fourth prime minister between 1892 and 1894 and the first Roman Catholic prime minister.

Thompson was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia in July, 1882.

Dalhousie Law School

It was in this role that Thompson, along with lawyers Wallace Graham and Robert Sedgewick, visited Harvard and Columbia universities in the United States to observe their law schools.

They returned and helped set up the Dalhousie Law School in 1883.

1851 portrait of John Thompson as a child in Halifax

Thompson as a child in Halifax in 1851. (Library and Archives Canada - PA-025800)

In his 1985 book The Man from Halifax: Sir John Thompson, Prime Minister, Peter B. Waite says the new school that Thompson referred to as the Dalhousie Law School experiment was an immediate success.

Waite said Thompson lectured on evidence at the school during the first two years of its existence.

"He made a great impression on the LL.B. students; they called him 'silver tongued;' he had a rich voice that carried easily and pleasantly," Waite said. "But it was his argument that established his reputation."

In 1885, Thompson was sworn in as minister of justice in Sir John A. Macdonald's government in September and elected as MP for Antigonish in October.

Criminal Code

As minister, he introduced Canada's Criminal Code which became law in 1892.

Legal academic and historian Philip Girard, a faculty member at Osgoode Law School in Toronto and a former law professor at Dalhousie, said introducing the code was Thompson's greatest accomplishment in terms of legal history.

Legal academic and historian Phillip Girard is a faculty member at Osgoode Law School in Toronto and a former law professor at Dalhousie University.

Legal academic and historian Philip Girard is a faculty member at Osgoode Law School in Toronto and a former law professor at Dalhousie University. (York University)

Girard said Thompson worked with deputy ministers and fellow Maritimers George Burbidge and Robert Sedgewick to push through the legislation despite resistance from many lawyers.

According to Girard, the code was innovative at the time as England did not have a criminal code, and laws on crime were "scattered all over the place" in hundreds of statutes and judicial decisions.

Criminal law was federal under the Constitution Act of 1867.

"The fact that you could use criminal law as a kind of unifying force in the country was important, and the federal government eventually realized this," Girard said. "The impact is still there today."

Langford said one aspect of the Criminal Code of 1892 that impacted many lives until fairly recently was that it criminalized homosexual relations.

"The men convicted more readily were young, often working class and it was immediate," Langford said.

"I found an annual report from Thompson ... when he was justice minister, and it showed convictions of men for gross indecency. They were receiving sentences of two to three years, and more often than not they were also receiving 50 lashes."

Thompson's legacy as justice minister has also become complicated over time because of his defence of the trial and execution of Louis Riel following the North-West Rebellion. Riel was hanged on Nov. 16, 1885.

Prime minister

Thompson became prime minister in 1892, after John Abbott retired after 17 months because of ill health.

When Sir John A. Macdonald died in office in 1891, Thompson had been asked to become prime minister.

Queen Victoria’s Tribute to her Dead Canadian Premier by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, 1896 Library and Archives Canada

Queen Victoria’s Tribute to her Dead Canadian Premier by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, 1896, Library and Archives Canada. (Library and Archives Canada)

There were religious divisions in Canada at the time and Thompson declined the offer, believing that the country was not ready for a Roman Catholic in that role.

Thompson was born a Methodist but converted to Catholicism in 1871 and was christened at St. Mary's Cathedral in Halifax.

His wife, Annie, was also Catholic.

Father Paul Morris, parish priest of Saint Ignatius Church in Bedford, said having a Catholic prime minister was likely a significant milestone.

"Religion featured much more prominently in Canadian society generally and individual political leaders, their own religious affiliation, mattered far, far more than it ever would today," Morris said.

"One must assume that it would have been important to the Catholics of Halifax at the time."

The arrival of John Thompson's body at Halifax Harbour aboard the warship Blenheim.

The arrival of John Thompson's body at Halifax Harbour aboard the warship Blenheim. (Library and Archives Canada, acc no. R13133-388, e011213232)

In late 1894, Thompson was invited to London to be sworn in as a member of the Imperial Privy Council.

Years of work and inattention to his health were taking a toll.

While in London he consulted prominent physician Russell Reynolds before going on a tour of Europe with his family.

In his 1895 book Life and Work of the Rt. Hon. Sir John Thompson, Hopkins J. Castell said Thompson experienced shortness of breath and other symptoms but continued with the tour before returning to London in December for the swearing-in ceremony.

The State Funeral of Sir John Thompson at Halifax by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, 1897

The State Funeral of Sir John Thompson at Halifax by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, 1897 (Library and Archives Canada)

After the ceremony at Windsor Castle on Dec. 12, Thompson fainted only minutes after sitting down to lunch.

Death at Windsor Castle

He was examined by the Queen's physician, Dr. Reid, and returned to the table.

Castell quotes the account of Lord Breadalbane, who witnessed the event.

"Before he tasted the cutlet or whatever was placed before him, I saw him suddenly lurch over, and fall almost into Dr. Reid's arms.

"The room was partially cleared and everything possible was done, but without avail. The end had come."

State Funeral procession for Sir John Thompson, Prime Minister of Canada, photographed on Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, January 3, 1895

State Funeral procession for Sir John Thompson, Prime Minister of Canada, photographed on Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, January 3, 1895 (Notman Studio/Nova Scotia Archives 1983-310 number 1395)

Thompson's body was placed in a coffin and moved to a room at the castle.

Upon hearing that the late prime minister was Roman Catholic, Queen Victoria, the titular head of the Anglican Church, ordered that a requiem mass be said for him.

According to Morris, it was likely the first Catholic Mass held at Windsor Castle since the reformation.

Return to Halifax

After lying in state at the castle for several days, Thompson's body was transported from Windsor to Portsmouth in a special train to be transported back to Halifax on the warship Blenheim.

The ship was painted black by order of the Queen.

As Thompson's body was moved to the ship, there was, according to Castell, a "crashing discharge of guns" from HMS Victory docked nearby.

The Blenheim was met by a large crowd at Halifax harbour when it arrived.

John Thompson funeral car shown in Halifax in 1895.

John Thompson funeral car shown in Halifax in 1895. (Notman Studio/Nova Scotia Archives 1983-310 number 1411)

Thompson's body lay in state at the legislative council chamber in Halifax for a day before being taken to St. Mary's Cathedral for a state funeral on Jan. 3.

Following the funeral, the coffin was transported amid mournful music down Barrington Street, past buildings draped in sombre colours, to Holy Cross Cemetery.

"Here it had been decided to lay the remains of Sir John Thompson," Castell said.

"And here, after a few final prayers by Archbishop O'Brien, all that remained of the distinguished Canadian was hidden from sight in the soil of his native province; in the heart of his native city. Sir John Thompson was now at rest."

Woman who escaped East Germany and settled in Norman Wells, N.W.T. has lived to 100


CBC
Sat, December 30, 2023 

Mitzi Hodgson (left) and her daughter, Heidi Hodgson (right), celebrated Mitzi's 100th birthday in Normal Wells, N.W.T. on Dec. 19, 2023. Mitzi first landed in the small oil town in 1955, then married a local, and stayed for life. (Submitted by Heidi Hodgson - image credit)

When Maria Hodgson of Slovenia stepped off the plane in Normal Wells, N.W.T., in 1955, she didn't speak a word of English, and couldn't believe where she'd landed.

Maria, or 'Mitzi' as she is known to her friends, stayed in Norman Wells for the rest of her life, and it's where she celebrated her 100th birthday on Dec. 19.

Now, her daughter, Heidi Hodgson, is sharing the story of her mother's life.

"She got off the plane and it was July and it was daylight and they had arrived in the evening and it was the bugs and mosquitoes, and she thought 'Oh my goodness, what did I get myself into?'" she told CBC North's Lawrence Nayally on Trail's End.

Kitchen staff to hotel owner

Mitzi had come to the small town to work at the Imperial Oil mess hall alongside her sister, who'd immigrated to Canada when she married an American soldier. Her sister and brother-in-law ended up in Norman Wells, so that's where Mitzi went too, Heidi explained.

"She began working in the mess hall, and she had to make toast because she couldn't speak English. And I think she caught my daddy's eye and he caught her eye. And the rest is history," Heidi said.

Mitzi married Eddy Hodgson in 1958 and they had two children. He was Indigenous and his family was well-established and well-known in the area, Heidi said.

Mitzi and her husband Eddy Hodgson.

Mitzi and her husband Eddy Hodgson. (Submitted by Heidi Hodgson)

According to Mitzi's family, she's fluent in four languages and was deeply involved with the town's Catholic church, St. Anthony's. She also grew an incredible vegetable garden, was a seamstress, and renowned for hosting dinner parties. At an auction in town, her cherry cheesecake once raked in $1,400 after a bidding war.

Her family says she wore many hats over the years, whether it was working in the Imperial Oil hospital and delivering babies, managing and owning a local hotel, or tending the graveyard with her late husband.

"She gave back to her community, and her number one love was, and still is, her family and her community," Heidi said.

Escape from East Germany

Prior to moving to the territory, Mitzi lived in Europe. At the age of 14, during the Great Depression, she and her sister moved from Slovenia to Germany to find work. She then lived through the second world war and the sisters found themselves in East Germany.

"She escaped," Heidi said. "(It) was under the cover of darkness on a train. And they had to jump off the train before they reached the border and they had to walk through waist-high water with their luggage, just so they wouldn't be caught by the Russians."

Mitzi returned to Slovenia where she lived for a few years before taking a ship, train and then a plane to Norman Wells to join her sister.

Mitzi Hodgson was an avid gardener, her daughter Heidi says.

Mitzi Hodgson was an avid gardener, her daughter Heidi says. (Submitted by Heidi Hodgson)

Celebrating 100

Heidi's father also worked for Imperial Oil, and the family lived in a company house until he retired in 1985.

"Dad had a cabin out of town a little ways and he knew that that's where he was going to build a home to retire," Heidi said.

Eventually Heidi and her husband bought that home from her parents, while her parents built another place next door and her brother built a house on the other side.

"It was like a Hodgson row," Heidi said.

"They raised us here (in Normal Wells) and we raised our children here, it's a beautiful place to raise a family."

Mitzi continued living there until early December 2023, when she had a fall, shortly before her birthday. She has since been living in a long-term care facility while she recovers, and that's where she celebrated her birthday with friends and family, some of whom flew in for the occasion.

Leading up to the big day, Heidi recalls her mother's awe at how long she had lived.

"She would always be shocked that she was going to be 100. She couldn't wrap her mind around it… it's astonishing, even to her," she said.

Mitzi received several gifts for her birthday, including special greetings from Pope Francis, the prime minister and governor general, and the King.