By Canadian Press

In the news today: Alberta premier to address E. coli outbreak at daycares

Sep 15, 2023 | 2:18 AM

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Alberta premier to address Calgary daycare E. coli outbreak

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is to address the E. coli outbreak related to several Calgary daycares during a news conference this morning, a day after parents with children in the daycares sent an open letter asking Smith to do more to deal with the situation.

There are 329 lab-confirmed cases of the bacterial infection related to an outbreak that was declared on Sept. 4.

Thirteen children are still in hospital, 11 of whom have hemolytic uremic syndrome — a complication affecting the blood and kidneys.

Snow days

Snow crews start again with emergency routes

13h ago

Goudy named Speaker

Melfort MLA Todd Goudy named Speaker of the Legislative Assembly

15h ago

Snow day

Some classes, bus routes cancelled Monday following weekend snowstorm

16h ago

Six of those children are receiving dialysis.

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Here’s what else we’re watching …

Emergency alert system not affected by cyberattack

The Weather Network and MétéoMédia still can’t send weather alerts through push notifications from its app following a “malicious cyberattack” on Monday.

But Pelmorex, the parent company of the two weather services, says the attack is not affecting the Alert Ready system it runs to send emergency notifications to cellphones when dangerous weather is imminent.

On Sept. 11, the attack took down at least part of the The Weather Network and the two websites are still not providing full weather data four days later.

The sites have restored the current temperature and forecast data, but other information such as whether it’s sunny, cloudy or raining right now, are missing.

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Ng won’t say if trade mission to India still on

Trade Minister Mary Ng won’t say whether a major visit to India is going ahead after a chill in relations between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his counterpart in New Delhi.

Ng is supposed to lead a five-day trade mission to Mumbai with leaders from Canadian businesses and provinces, starting on Oct. 9.

This past weekend, India’s foreign ministry expressed “strong concerns” about Sikh separatists in Canada, who want to carve out their own state in India.

Ottawa has refused to provide any detailed explanation about why it paused trade talks with India, a move that blindsided business leaders and provinces.

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London attack accused’s trial continues today

Jurors at the trial of a man accused of murdering four members of a Muslim family in Ontario are set to hear from new witnesses and watch more footage today of him at a police station after his arrest. 

Nathaniel Veltman is accused of deliberately hitting five members of the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a walk in London, Ont. 

Prosecutors have alleged his actions in June 2021 amount to an act of terrorism and have argued he was motivated by white nationalist beliefs. 

Veltman, 22, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

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RCMP team response to James Smith killings delayed

Emails show a specialized RCMP team was not immediately available to respond to a stabbing rampage and manhunt in Saskatchewan because of contract negotiations.

Eleven people were killed and 17 were injured as 32-year-old Myles Sanderson moved from home to home on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon just over a year ago. 

Documents obtained under freedom of information laws show Ottawa’s Emergency Response Team-Special Activities Group was initially offered to help Saskatchewan Mounties.

But an email from Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, the commanding officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP, says the team was not available as they were — quote — “in between contracts.”

RCMP headquarters says in an email that the team was deployed at some point, but would not say how long they were delayed.

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Policy gaps led to fatal Tremblant gondola crash

A deadly collision between a gondola and a drill rig at Quebec’s Mont Tremblant Ski Resort in July occurred, in part, because of gaps in the resort’s policy on moving heavy equipment at the site.

That information is included in inspection reports by Quebec’s labour board, obtained by The Canadian Press through an access-to-information request.

A Canadian soldier was killed and a woman was severely injured when a sightseeing gondola was struck by the mast of a drill rig on July 16th. 

Inspection reports say the resort’s policy on moving construction equipment at the site was incomplete and not properly communicated to contractors. 

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2023.

The Canadian Press