WestCentral

Healthcare workers at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital (RUH) are urgently calling for reforms after the hospital's emergency department reached a staggering 350 percent capacity last week. The crisis hit a critical point when staff struggled to care for 121 patients in a space designed for only 35 beds, highlighting a growing emergency access issue that’s plaguing both urban and rural healthcare systems in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association will begin their next round of fall district meetings this week.

The next meeting is scheduled for tomorrow in Melfort from 1 til 5 at the Kerry Vicker Centre.

CEO Grant McLellan says it's a great opportunity for producers to find out what's going on in the industry, and give their input on the focus of the organization. 

Emotional mourners gathered by the hundreds in cities across Canada on Sunday to honour the victims of Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel that sparked the still raging war in Gaza and roiled tensions in the Middle East and beyond.

In the nation's capital, a sea of Israeli flags could be seen draped over participants in front of Ottawa City Hall, with Canadian flags waving alongside them as they called for the release of hostages still being held in Gaza.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeatedly reiterated calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East on Saturday as he blamed Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel for a staggering number of civilian deaths.

But Trudeau stopped short of outright condemning Israel for beginning a ground war days after the Israeli military crossed the border into southern Lebanon.

"We need to see peace in the region," Trudeau said from Paris on the final day of the Francophonie summit.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by editors.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2024.

Ahead of the official start of the election campaign, we asked our readers what the most important issues were facing the province. One of the biggest issues facing Saskatchewan, according to those who took part in the poll, is education. 

As part of the campaign, each political party releases the platform of what they will do if they form government. This is what each party has said, so far, when it comes to education.

Saskatchewan Party

Ahead of the official start of the election campaign, we asked our readers what the most important issues were facing the province. One of the biggest issues facing Saskatchewan, according to those who took part in the poll, is affordability, and the cost of living. 

As part of the campaign, each political party releases the platform of what they will do if they form government. This is what each party has said, so far, when it comes to affordability.

Saskatchewan Party

Ahead of the official start of the election campaign, we asked our readers what the most important issues were facing the province. Over 70 per cent of respondents in the poll said healthcare was the biggest issue facing Saskatchewan. 

As part of the campaign, each political party releases the platform of what they will do if they form government. This is what each party has said, so far, when it comes to healthcare.

Saskatchewan Party

First Nations leaders say the pride two Saskatchewan courthouse staff felt on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation turned to shame after they were told to change out of the orange clothing they wore to work.

The Meadow Lake Tribal Council, which represents nine First Nations, is demanding Saskatchewan investigate why the two First Nations women were told Monday to go home from the courthouse in Meadow Lake, northwest of Saskatoon, to change their clothes.

Fedaa Nassar says any time she has heard the phone ring in the last year, she becomes overwhelmed with anxiety.

"I hate phone calls now," says the 34-year-old lab technician at an Ottawa-area hospital.

It's because she worries the person on the other line will tell her that her dad, mom, brother and two sisters have died in the Gaza Strip.

Sleep is fitful, she says.

"I wake up three to four times during the night to check if they're still alive or not."