Author: Shelly W

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Canada Economic

After 15 Years the Shania Twain Centre is Demolished

Shania Twain Centre, tourist attraction
Shania Twain Centre, tourist attraction

The Shania Twain Centre started out as a terrific idea for a tourist attraction, but the Timmins, Ontario facility did not live up to the hype and demolition has been started to destroy the facility and eliminate all traces of a project that started out so promising yet ended up being a waste of time and money. Plans for the Shania Twain Centre started in 1999, and the facility finally opened on Canada Day in 2001. The hope was that the well known Canadian singer could attract tourists to the area on a large scale, and improve the local economy as a result. The grand opening occurred without Shania Twain, because the singer was pregnant and unable to travel, but that did not stop people from coming from all over the globe to check out this attraction while it was open.

The Shania Twain Centre idea was very popular with Canadians, and the singer was the leading female country singer in the world when the project was first planned. There were very few people in the world who did not know who Shania Twain was, and that made a tourist attraction featuring this country icon seem like a great idea. The problem was that interest waned in the Shania Twain Centre as the years went by, and there were fewer visitors to the tourist attraction as the time passed. Many enjoyed the fact that a visit to this tourist attraction also included a tour of the conic gold mine in the area as well, but now the centre is in the process of being demolished.

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Ft Mac

Fort MacMurray Police Officers Exonerated in Fatal Shooting in 2011

Fort MacMurray police officers, fatal shooting, Ahmad Abdallah
Fort MacMurray police officers, fatal shooting, Ahmad Abdallah

In 2011 Fort MacMurray police officers were involved in a fatal shooting, and these law enforcement professionals have finally been exonerated by a provincial court judge. On March 16, 2011 Ahmad Abdallah engaged in a gunfight with Fort MacMurray police officers who had responded to a 911 emergency call. The end result was that the 24 year old Ahmad Abdallah was fatally wounded in the shoot out with the cops. The entire incident started when the 24 year old got into a heated argument with one or more residents while visiting the apartment building where the fatal shooting occurred. While at the apartment building Abdallah refused to remove his shoes, and produced a handgun which he then pointed at the resident and made a statement about how he could hurt the resident of the apartment building.

When Ahmad Abdallah pulled a gun a female resident ran into the bathroom, locked the door, and called 911 for help. During the 911 call dispatchers sent Fort MacMurray police officers to the location after hearing two gun shots when Abdallah shot into the floor of the structure. When RCMP officers arrived Cst. Marshall was the first one into the apartment building, followed by four more Fort MacMurray police officers. The fatal shooting occurred because Abdallah fired rounds at the officers, and the Fort MacMurray police officers returned the fire and mortally wounded the gunman before he could hurt someone else in the apartment complex. Jim Jacques, the provincial court judge who exonerated the officers involved in the fatal shooting, stated “They responded promptly, intelligently, and bravely to a potential life-threatening situation,”

Categories
Canada

Family Living With Corpse for 6 Months Had Unusual Resurrection Beliefs

family living with corpse, resurrection beliefs
family living with corpse, resurrection beliefs

A family living with a corpse for 6 months in Hamilton, Ontario, had some very unusual resurrection beliefs. When the family patriarch in the family passed away, from what authorities believe were natural causes, the family members did not contact the police. Instead the family prayed in the belief that the man would be resurrected by their prayers. All of this came to light when the family was evicted from their home because the mortgage payments were not being made, and that was when the authorities discovered the dead man. It is being said by the defense attorney in the case that 50 year old Peter Walsh, who had a severe foot infection due to diabetes, died of natural causes in March of 2013. Peter’s wife, 50 year old Kaling Wald, entered a guilty plea to the charge of failing to notify the police about the death. The court sentenced Kaling to counseling and probation but no incarceration according to her attorney.

The family living with a corpse were very religious, and this could explain some of their unusual resurrection beliefs. In the bible Jesus and Lazarus were both resurrected. In September of 2013 the local sheriff arrived at the residence for eviction proceedings because the mortgage had been defaulted on, and that was when the corpse was found. There was no attempt to hide the body, in fact the family had packed Peter Wald’s belongings with the rest of the household and had planned on taking the corpse with them. According to the lawyer for Kaling Wald “She certainly was remorseful, and definitely was teary-eyed. Indeed, she noted that she was never actually able to cry over the passing of her husband, but this seemed to have been an emotional breakthrough after the court proceedings yesterday. I think counseling is certainly going to be beneficial for her.”

Categories
U.S.

Did Eric Garner Die From Police Brutality?

Eric Garner, police brutality
Eric Garner, police brutality

Eric Garner, a 47 year old black male who was selling untaxed cigarettes in New York City and who died after being subdued by four officers in a struggle that was caught on tape, is the latest case where some are saying police brutality was a factor. The video shows that Garner did struggle with officers, and that one officer appeared to use a choke hold to subdue Eric which is illegal under New York law. The medical examiner who did the autopsy ruled the death a homicide by asphyxiation, and the video taken that day is online and is very disturbing for some. Garner can be heard saying that he can not breath but the officers continue in spite of this, and Eric died as a result of his altercation with the police.

Some believe that police brutality caused the death of Eric Garner, others blame Eric for not just submitting to the demands of the police and going quietly without a struggle. Some point out that Garner was a large male, just like Michael Brown, while others point out that neither man was armed with a weapon. Americans are becoming distrustful of law enforcement in larger numbers, and many law enforcement officers develop an us against them mentality. In almost every case where there was a struggle and someone ended up dead due to force used by the police the entire situation could have been resolved differently if the individual would have complied instead of fighting back or struggling during the arrest. What do you think?

Categories
Canada Sports

Jean Beliveau is Gone But Not Forgotten

Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens
Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens

Hall of Famer and Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau is gone, he passed away recently, but he is not forgotten and lives on in the hearts and minds of hockey fans everywhere. In 1972 Beliveau was elected to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and this honor was hard earned. As a Montreal Canadiens member Jean Belivea played for at least part of 20 different hockey seasons, he played in 1,125 games during his career, he had 712, assists, and he made 507 goals. These statistics are part of what man the man legendary, but it was also his attitude and the fact that he was a true gentleman.

Geoff Molson, current president of the Montreal Canadiens, said about the passing of Jean Beliveau “The Montreal Canadiens organization is extremely moved by Mr. Béliveau’s passing away. Like millions of hockey fans who followed the life and the career of Jean Béliveau, the Canadiens today mourn the passing of a man whose contribution to the development of our sport and our society was unmeasurable. Jean Béliveau was a great leader, a gentleman and arguably the greatest ambassador our game has ever known. Jean Béliveau was part of the Canadiens family for over six decades. The Canadiens organization will bring all the needed support to the members of Jean Béliveau’s family, and will work closely with them to organize the ceremonies that will take place in the coming days. On behalf of the Molson family, and all members of the Canadiens organization, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his beloved wife Élise, his daughter Hélène and granddaughters Magalie and Mylène.”

Categories
Canada Economic Ft Mac

Temporary Foreign Worker Program Replacement Proposed by Canadian Federation of Independent Business

Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Temporary Foreign Worker Program replacement
Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Temporary Foreign Worker Program replacement

According to the latest proposal by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business a visa program should be used as a Temporary Foreign Worker Program replacement. The visa program being proposed will include the opportunity for foreign workers to eventually become eligible for permanent Canadian residency. According to Dan Kelly, the president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business “Canada was built by people who decided to take a chance, come here and work hard to make a new life for themselves and their families. The Introduction to Canada Visa would open up those opportunities once again. You shouldn’t need a PhD to live the Canadian Dream.” One argument used by the organization for the visa program is that this would eliminate any current problems and relieve the worker shortage at the same time.

Canadian Federation of Independent Business president Kelly discussed Temporary Foreign Worker Program replacement with a new visa program, saying “Given the massive cost of turn-over, small businesses would much rather hire someone who is not temporary, but the permanent immigration system largely prohibits anyone with more junior skill sets. We need workers at all skill levels, including for entry-level jobs, and that need isn’t going away.” Some, like Jason Kenney who is the employment minister, do not see such a pressing need for the change. A spokesperson for Kenney provided an email response “The cap will significantly restrict access to the Program, while ensuring that Canadians are always considered first for available jobs, reducing employer reliance on the program and increasing wages offered to Canadians. We believe that employers must do more to hire under-represented Canadians like youth, Aboriginal people, and Canadians with disabilities, rather than bring in temporary foreign workers to fill jobs.”