County of Grande Prairie donates funds for hospital televisions

The County of Grande Prairie No. 1 has generously donated funds to purchase over 300 televisions for patient rooms, common areas, and cancer treatment chairs at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital. Reeve Bob Marshall emphasized the benefit to all regional residents, noting that the televisions will help distract patients from their medical concerns.

Snow fall warning for Grande Prairie

A snowfall warning is in affect for the Grande Praire region, with accumulations of 15 to 30 cm expected.

Snow will intensify this morning and persist through the night, tapering off by Saturday morning.

Motorists and pedestrians should be prepared for sudden reductions in visibility due to heavy snow.

Travel is not recommended during this period. Residents are advised to postpone non-essential travel until conditions improve.

Information provided by Environment Canada 

Liberal ministers make last-ditch pitch in D.C. to stop Trump tariffs on Canada

A trio of federal cabinet ministers is in Washington today making a last-ditch attempt to stop U.S. President Donald Trump from imposing economically devastating tariffs on Canadian imports.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty and Immigration Minister Marc Miller are all in the U.S. capital, making a final diplomatic push to convince Republican lawmakers and Trump's team to sway the president.

Trump has signalled he's prepared to slap 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports as early as Saturday.

Jaime Battiste drops out of running for Liberal leadership

Nova Scotia Liberal MP Jaime Battiste says he is dropping out of the Liberal party leadership race and backing former central banker Mark Carney.

The MP for Sydney—Victoria made the announcement in a statement sent out late Thursday by his campaign.

Battiste was the only Indigenous candidate in the running and sought to put First Nations issues on the agenda during the contest.

He says the best way for him to advance the issues he cares about — reconciliation, the environment and affordability — is by supporting Carney’s leadership bid.

CWRC commits $11.8 million over five years to the CDC

Earlier this week, the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC), announced they’ve committed $11.8 million of funding over the next five years to the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC). With the CWRC’s previous funding agreement with the CDC expiring this year, CWRC’s president Lori-Ann Kaminski knew that this was a deal that needed to be done. 

Quietness

Psalm 46; 131; Isaiah 30:15-18; Mark 6:30-32

It is almost 10:00, Monday night. The children are snoozing and snoring upstairs (or they should be!). Aside from a few outside noises—a passing car...a barking dog...a few, faint voices in the distance—all's quiet on the home front. That wonderful, much-needed presence has again come for a visit—quietness. Oh, how I love it...how I need it.

UPDATE: Snowfall causes treacherous road conditions in Peace Country

UPDATE:

 Fox Creek RCMP are updating that they are slowly making progress with vehicles clearing the road.

Upon the initial arrival, Fox Creek RCMP stopped traffic until they could properly assess the collision and any drivers and passengers for their condition. 

Currently, there is a southbound lane which is open, and crews are working on a diversion to allow northbound traffic a way through.

Ex-priest sentenced to six years for sex abuse of Nunavut children

A former Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to indecent assault against seven Inuit children more than four decades ago has been sentenced to six years in prison.

An Iqaluit court heard Eric Dejaeger assaulted six girls and one boy between 1978 and 1982 in the hamlet of Igloolik, Nvt.

"He destroyed their childhood, hurt their relations with their families and ruined their relationship with their church," Justice Faiyaz Alibhai said in his sentencing decision Thursday. 

Deadly U.S. mid-air collision no reason to panic about wider safety concerns: expert

The deadly mid-air crash in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night is likely the result of unique air traffic patterns in the area and shouldn't cause wider fears over air safety, says an aviation expert.

John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, said the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has seen rising activity over the years while military aircraft also frequently fly in the area to make it a higher-risk airspace.