WestCentral

For a player who isn't even on the Saskatchewan Roughriders active roster, Eatonia's John Stevens is making himself known on the team's defensive line.

The junior football standout with the Saskatoon Hilltops is still practicing with the Roughriders as a territorial junior following the team's final cuts over the weekend, and while getting reps with the big team during Monday's practice, Stevens stood out with an interception on a screen pass that the West Central native returned for a touchdown.

ROSETOWN, Sask. — The trial, which centres on allegations against Mohammad Masum and Sohel (Salim) Hader, heard more from the complainant this week, a woman who had worked in restaurants in Gull Lake, Tisdale and for two day in Elrose. She told the court she also worked in Tisdale despite her permit being tied to Bob's Diner in Elrose.

The need for donations has risen exponentially after the number of evacuees from Saskatchewan’s north doubled on the weekend.

Fred Reibin with the Saskatoon Community Foundation says there were 1,400 evacuees on Friday and as of late last night that number had risen to 2,800.

In addition, a great number of children are among those evacuated from wildfires in northern Saskatchewan. Reibin says he knows Metis Nation-Saskatchewan and CUMFI are taking actual donations, but he says they are coordinating monetary donations.

Our local MP is grateful a colleague is opening the door federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre to return to the House of Commons.

Swift Current-Kindersley-Grasslands MP Jeremy Patzer acknowledged the sacrifice of Battle River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek who is stepping down so Poilievre can run in his spot.

Poilievre lost his Ottawa area seat in the recent federal election and will run in a byelection to return to parliament once Kurek steps down. 

ATV Safety Month is in full swing across Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan All-Terrain Vehicle Association (SATVA) is reminding riders that a few simple precautions can mean the difference between a great ride and a tragic one.

“All across the province, riders are enjoying the freedom and adventure of ATVing,” said John Meed, general manager of SATVA. “ATV Safety Month is a great reminder to make safety part of the fun. A few simple habits can make a big difference in keeping you and your loved ones safe.”

Winnipeg hotels were opening up Monday to evacuees who fled their homes due to raging wildfires, while to the west in Saskatchewan, thousands more were ordered to flee.

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency issued an alert late Monday afternoon, saying the northern town of La Ronge had ordered an evacuation as fire had breached its airport.

The agency said flames were fast-moving and that people in the community of 2,500, as well as anyone within 20 kilometres, including nearby Air Ronge and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, had to leave immediately.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree is expected to introduce a bill today spelling out the federal government's next steps on border security.

The recent throne speech promised legislation to bolster security at Canada's borders and new tools for police and intelligence agencies to help them stop the flow of deadly fentanyl and its precursors.

The government also said the Canada Border Services Agency will be given new powers to examine goods destined for export to prevent the movement of illegal and stolen products, including cars.

The federal government plans to work urgently to remove Chinese tariffs on Canadian agriculture and seafood products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday.

"The Canadian government is engaging with its Chinese counterparts at the ministerial level and we'll continue those discussions," Carney told reporters after meeting with premiers in Saskatoon.

"They're a top priority for us." 

The commitment came in a statement after the meeting and it says premiers want Canada's trading relationship with China to improve. 

The Canadian Medical Association says it is taking the Alberta government to court, launching a constitutional challenge against Bill 26 to protect the rights of young patients and their families to make medical decisions in consultation with physicians.

The association, joined by three Alberta doctors, filed an application Wednesday with the Court of King's Bench, arguing the legislation violates doctors’ freedom of conscience under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and represents a dangerous intrusion into the physician-patient relationship.

The Saskatchewan government is changing its beer markup structure in a move aimed at helping small and medium-sized breweries scale up production.

The province announced Friday that markup rates will be reduced across most production levels to create a more gradual increase in cost as breweries grow. The qualifying threshold to access these reduced rates will also rise — from 400,000 to 500,000 hectolitres of annual production.