WestCentral

Justin Trudeau's interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert began with the expected jokes about bacon and Canadians saying sorry a lot, but the prime minister acknowledged it's "a really tough time" in the country when the host asked about an expected confidence vote in Parliament this week.

"People are hurting. People are having trouble paying for groceries, paying for rent, filling up the tank," Trudeau said during the CBS program Monday in New York, where he has been meeting with world leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly.

The agriculture sector is bracing for another potential strike ... this time at the Port of Vancouver.

The Grain Workers Union Local 333 issued a 72 hour strike notice over the weekend, meaning we could see job action start as early as today (Tuesday, September 24).

The potential work stoppage would impact all shipments of bulk grain from the port, causing congestion right through the grain supply chain all the way back to the farmgate. 

Canada's grain farmers say a strike at Metro Vancouver terminals would cripple crop exports if it were allowed to take place.

The Grain Growers of Canada say in a statement that it is "deeply concerned" about a potential strike of grain workers in Metro Vancouver, since about 52 per cent of all Canadian-grown grain went to those terminals last year.

Grain farmers say a strike would "halt nearly 100,000 metric tonnes" of commodities arriving each day, potentially costing $35 million daily in lost exports.

Rail Safety Week in Canada is an annual event to raise awareness about rail safety. 

Operation Lifesaver and its partners are reminding everyone there is no "undo" button. 

This year's theme is there is no "undo" button... taking risks near tracks can change your life forever or cost you life and limb.

CPKC's Assistant Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Bulk Elizabeth Hucker 

Three positions on the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Board of Directors have been filled. 

Shaun Dyrland of Kyle will continue into his third three-year term on the Board.  

Two new members will join the board in January Jim Hale of Lancer and Gerrid Gust of Davidson.

Board Chair Winston van Staveren says they are pleased to have Shaun return for another term and our
excited to welcome our new Directors noting each of the individuals brings valuable experience and knowledge to the board.

Fall is a critical period when it comes to managing winter hardiness or winterkill in alfalfa stands.

Range Management Specialist Trevor Lennox says alfalfa is thought of as queen of the forages.

"It's a very important forage, as a result, it's important to keep the stand as productive as possible."

He points out that when an alfalfa plant is cut, the initial regrowth that follows is produced from root reserves, as new leaves are developed, they begin to manufacture their own energy for growth.

CPKC's Assistant Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Bulk Elizabeth Hucker says the rail network has bounced back following last month's work stoppage but it will still take more time for supply chains to fully recover and car cycles to normalize.

She says since that work outage in grain shipping week 3 CPKC has seen a steady increase in demand for rail services to locations like Thunder Bay, Vancouver, Eastern Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The Government of Saskatchewan has designated the week of September 23 to 27 as **Saskatchewan Construction Week**, recognizing the vital contributions of the province's construction industry to economic development and community building.

With Concussion Awareness Week beginning this week, it's the ideal time to remind southwest residents about the symptoms and dangers associated with concussions.

Concussion Awareness Day, also known as Rowan's Law Day, is set for September 25 in honour of 17-year-old Canadian high school rugby player, Rowan Stringer, who lost her life in 2013 following multiple concussions leading to second impact syndrome.

September 23 to 30, 2024, is Rail Safety Week in Saskatchewan The initiative joins a national effort to raise awareness about the importance of safety around trains. With the province's extensive rail system playing a crucial role in Saskatchewan's export-driven economy, officials are reminding the public to prioritize safety near rail lines.