WestCentral

A human trafficking trial in Rosetown continues Wednesday after testimony from a woman, who claims she was sexually assaulted and forced into gruelling work conditions while employed at small-town Saskatchewan restaurants. The accused, Mohammad Masum and Sohel Haider, were arrested in June 2023, and are each charged with one count of human trafficking. Masum also faces three charges of sexual assault.

The Saskatchewan NDP says Sask. Party Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill is under a second active investigation by the province’s Conflict of Interest Commissioner over allegations he breached the Act when he invested in helium companies that were then awarded tax breaks by the Saskatchewan Government, all while Cockrill was a member of the cabinet.

The West Central Crisis and Family Support Centre marked a significant milestone with the grand opening of its new facility at 105 Colton Drive, Kindersley, celebrating 40 years of service to the community. This momentous event not only highlighted the centre’s enduring legacy but also its ongoing importance to families and individuals across western Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta.

Canada's foreign ministry expressed alarm about its shrinking ability to counter foreign disinformation online due to limited access to data and the evolving tactics of adversaries, a newly released memo shows. 

The memo, tabled Wednesday at a federal inquiry into foreign interference, noted Canada had led the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism to identify and respond to threats to democracy through open-source data analytics. 

The Biggar RCMP Detachment handled 31 occurrences this past week, including traffic incidents, neighbour disputes, and suspicious activity.

In traffic enforcement, five drivers were reminded of the rules of the road. Two collisions occurred on Highway 14 involving a 2018 Nissan Murano and a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, both striking deer.

Neighbour disputes were reported in Perdue on 7th Street and Avenue N, while three disturbing the peace calls were made from the 100 block of 2nd Avenue in Biggar. There was also a noise complaint about campers on Main Street.

The Government of Saskatchewan has rejected the federal oil and gas emissions cap and new Methane 75 regulations, citing severe potential economic consequences for the province. According to an independent report by the Saskatchewan Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal, these federal mandates could result in significant financial losses and job cuts across the province.

Canfax data for the week ending September 20th highlights the activity in the Prairie Auction Marts.

In Manitoba, the average feeder steer prices ranged from $278.69 per hundred weight for the 901+ category to $467 per hundred weight for the 400 to 500 pound animals.

Feeder heifers prices averaged $276.83 per hundred weight for the 901+ weights to $386 per hundred weight for the 401 to 500 pound heifers.

D1, D2 cows averaged $170.93 per hundred weight, with D3's $159.75 per hundred weight, and Bulls $216.53 per hundred weight.

The Liberal minority government has survived a vote of non-confidence in the House of Commons by a count of 211-120.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre put forward the motion asking MPs to declare they did not have confidence in the prime minister or his government.

Poilievre failed to get the support of other opposition parties to bring the government down.

The Bloc Québécois and the NDP voted against the motion.

If the non-confidence motion had passed it would have defeated the government and very likely triggered an immediate election campaign.

At least two Canadians have died in the escalating violence in Lebanon, which has members of Parliament discussing a possible evacuation of Canadian citizens from the country.

"We are devastated by the loss of two Canadians, but the entire Lebanese people are (also) suffering right now — women, children, innocents," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"This is a horrific situation," he told reporters on Parliament Hill, repeating his earlier calls for both Israel and Hezbollah to de-escalate.

After 60 years of hosting countless memorable moments, Unity’s iconic Cardinals baseball diamond is undergoing a complete transformation. The summer of 2024 will mark the final season for the diamond in its current state, as disrepair and costly patchwork repairs have made it increasingly difficult to maintain. However, plans to revitalize the diamond, long discussed but slow to materialize, have now been fast-tracked thanks to an exciting opportunity.