Author: Shelly W

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Canada Health

Health Canada Says Wind Turbines No Link to Poor Health

Health Canada, wind turbines, poor health
Health Canada, wind turbines, poor health

According to Health Canada there is no link between poor health and wind turbines, a decision that some still disagree with. The conclusion by the agency is that wind turbines can cause stress, but that there is no direct link that shows these items actually cause poor health. In order to come to a conclusion federal scientists conducted the most comprehensive study of this kind so far, and many communities which host wind farms in the area were studied by the federal scientists to see whether the health of the populations were affected by the turbines. The researchers studied a total of 1,200 participants, all of whom lived within 2 kilometers of wind turbines in the Ontario and P.E.I. areas. The researchers did caution that the results of the Health Canada study only applies to the populations in the two areas that were used for the study, and do not necessarily apply to other areas.

The Health Canada study that looked for links between wind turbines and poor health did note that individuals in these areas did report some stress, which was reported as headaches and sleep disruptions, but the study results concluded that there is not anything which shows that these stressors resulted from wind turbines. An official with Health Canada stated “If someone indicated a higher level of perceived stress, (in some cases they) did have higher cortisol levels (a hormone released when an individual experiences stress). However, these (were) not related to wind turbine exposure.” Whether people believe the study results remains to be seen.

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Ft Mac

Jerry Fontaine is Sentenced for June Sexual Assault

Jerry Fontaine, sexual assault sentencing
Jerry Fontaine, sexual assault sentencing

Jerry Fontaine has received the sexual assault sentencing for the charges brought about by the actions of the 39 year old in June. During the sexual assault sentencing by the Fort MacMurray Provincial Court Fontaine received 18 months of probation and must serve 120 days in jail for his crime. The convicted criminal received his sentence while in the Edmonton Remand Centre over the CCTV system. On Monday Jerry Fontaine plead guilty to sexual assault and took responsibility for what occurred in June to the court. In June Fontaine assaulted a 16 year old passenger on a bus, and the attack happened in the downtown area. The defendant grabbed the girl’s leg and then tried to kiss her on her arms and breasts. None of the other passengers on board the bus intervened or tried to stop the attack.

The 16 year old that Jerry Fontaine sexually assaulted grabber her cellphone and took a picture of her assailant, and that led to the sexual assault sentencing after some police investigation. According to Judge Stephanie Cleary “Certainly there are many sexual offenses that are far more offensive and far more egregious, but this was a sustained assault on a woman (approximately) the same age as his daughter. To call it a tragedy all around is to state the blatantly obvious.” Catherine Gagnon, the crown prosecutor, asked for 3-4 months of jail time in the case plus probation, and was happy with the sexual assault sentencing that the court handed down to Jerry Fontaine.

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Ft Mac

Fort MacMurray Death Tuesday Due to Apartment Balcony Fall

Fort MacMurray death, apartment balcony fall
Fort MacMurray death, apartment balcony fall

On Tuesday another Fort MacMurray death happened when a woman was fatally injured in an apartment balcony fall. This is not the first Fort MacMurray death to occur as a result of an apartment balcony fall at the River Glen Apartments on MacDonald Drive either, a male fell to his death on October 18 of last year and this incident was ruled an accidental death after being investigated. The Wood Buffalo RCMP responded to a call at approximately 6 pm on Tuesday night when the caller reported that a woman had fallen from her upper floor balcony at the apartment complex. When the RCMP arrived they pronounced the woman at the scene. The woman is believed to be a resident who fell from her own balcony, and the police do not suspect any foul play right now.

The Fort MacMurray death as a result of an apartment balcony fall is still being investigated by the Wood Buffalo RCMP, and the identity of the woman has not been released because police are trying to notify her family of the death before announcing her name to the public. If anyone has any information about this Fort MacMurray death the RCMP are asking individuals to contact the post at 780-788-4000 or to call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 and report any information that they have on this case. If this trend continues then the apartment complex may start looking at ways to prevent balcony falls. It has not been determined whether alcohol or drugs have played a role in the death.

Categories
Health

A New Health Study Shows That Scratching an Itch Makes the Itching Worse

health study, itch
health study, itch

A new health study reinforces what we already know about an itch, if you scratch it this will only make you itch worse as a result. This means that the old advice your mom used to give you was right. The health study was performed by Washington University researchers who studied what happens in the brain when you scratch your skin. When this happens then more serotonin is released into the brain of the individual, and this will increase the sensation of itching. The health study researchers used two types of mice in their clinical trials, and one of these mice types were bred specially so that they were missing the gene used in the body to produce serotonin. Both sets of mice were injected with a substance that results in itching.

The genetically altered mice did not scratch as much as those who were not missing certain genes. When the genetically deficient mice were injected with serotonin then their amount and intensity of scratching increased to what was seen in the unaltered mice, leading researchers to the health study conclusion on the common itch. Zhou-Feng Chen, one of the researchers who performed the health study, stated “Our findings suggest that the events happen in this order: First, you scratch, and that causes a sensation of pain. Then you make more serotonin to control the pain. But serotonin does more than only inhibit pain. Our new finding shows that it also makes itch worse.” The next time you feel an itch don’t scratch it or you will only make things worse.

Categories
Canada Politics

MP Dean Del Mastro Convicted of Election Act Offenses

MP Dean Del Mastro, Election Act offenses
MP Dean Del Mastro, Election Act offenses

The former parliamentary secretary for the prime minister, MP Dean Del Mastro, has been found guilty on charges that he committed Elections Acts offences when he was campaigning in 2008. The convictions against Del Mastro included filing an incorrect return to Elections Canada, overspending, and under reporting. Each of the convictions that were given carries a maximum fine of $2,000 and the possibility of up to a year in prison. With three convictions this means that Del Mastro is facing a maximum of $6,000 in fines and 3 years in prison. The charges against MP Dean Del Mastro involved writing a check to cover work performed for the election in the amount of $21,000, but then claiming a payment of just $1,575 once it was realized that the full $21,000 would put Del Mastro over the spending limit for campaigns.

Because4 MP Dean Del Mastro has been convicted of Elections Act offenses there have been some calls for him to step down from his current position however he has refused to do so. Richard McCarthy, who acted as Del Mastro’s accountant at one time, was also convicted on two of the three charges that were brought against him for the actions involved in the case. When the case was reviewed the investigator found that Del Mastro obfuscated the evidence, and refused to answer a number of key questions that were asked of him while the matter was being reviewed. Under the Elections Act calls for anyone who has been convicted of offenses under the act to be completely barred from serving any office until a minimum of five years have passed since the conviction.

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Canada Ft Mac Sports

The Tournament Schedule for the Western Canada Cup Has Been Released

Western Canada Cup, tournament schedule
Western Canada Cup, tournament schedule

The 2015 Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup has been released by the host committees, and this happened in Fort MacMurray last Thursday. This schedule shows the path that must by followed by the 56 Junior A teams that originate in Western Canada, and the teams must follow the schedule if they hope to make it to the 2015 Royal Bank Cup.The tournament schedule for the Western Cup was released at the Casman Centre, According to CJHL commissioner Kirk Lamb “The best teams in all of our leagues from across the country from the leagues that some people would say are the top to the bottom — the best teams across the country are good teams no matter what. We saw that in Nanaimo and we saw that in Dauhpin.”

Ryan Bartoshyk, the AJHL commissioner, said “We really want to make this the best Western Canada Cup ever. If you look at it, the last two RBC Champions came out of this tournament and I don’t expect anything less.” The highlight of the Western Canada Cup tournament schedule will happen on April 25, the night that the tournament starts, when top teams from the Alberta Junior Hockey League and the British Columbia Hockey League face off. BCHL commissioner John Grisdale discussed his supportive role “My role here is to not only support, but we have to be prepared for the next time its in B.C. and to encourage all of our teams to get excited about it.” Fans can not wait for the tournament to start.