Estevan

A recently released international report says Canada's temporary foreign worker program is a "breeding ground" for contemporary slavery.

The final report by a United Nations special rapporteur who visited Canada last year says a power imbalance prevents workers from exercising their rights.

A worker's status is dependent on a closed work permit that is specific to their employer. If an individual is fired, they may be deported from Canada. 

Workers are subject to a wide range of abuses and aren't always aware of their rights, the report says. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says people seeking asylum at the border with Canada will have less time to consult a lawyer before making their case, as President Joe Biden's asylum halt makes its way to Canada’s doorstep. 

Biden announced sweeping changes mostly targeted at the U.S. border with Mexico in June, as the issue remains a thorn in the Democrats' side ahead of the November election. The new procedural changes, which the department confirmed Tuesday, will affect migrants crossing into the U.S. from Canada.

SARM's President Ray Orb will be stepping down after 20 years on the board and nine years as president, leaving the organization in another's hands.

Orb will be succeeded by Vice President Bill Huber who will be acting president until a replacement is elected during the next annual SARM convention in March.

Orb announced earlier this year he wouldn't be running and is now leaving the post as he wants to enjoy the summer.

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One southeast community is taking a unique approach to building up housing and attracting people to the community with a cash bonus.

Moosomin is offering $30,000 to anyone who builds a house in their town, with an additional $8,000 per unit for multi-unit dwellings.

Larry Tomlinson, the mayor of Moosomin, says that they're able to pay for that thanks to a federal housing program.

The beef industry will be hosting a major get-together next week with the Canadian Beef Industry Conference getting underway in Saskatoon.

It'll be the first time for the city to host the conference, which includes meetings and presentations by numerous important figures in Canada's beef industry.

Scott Wright, a co-host of the Canadian Beef Industry Conference for 2024, says it's a great opportunity for the city and the province.

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) will be looking for a new leader soon, as President Ray Orb announced he's stepping down from the top job. 

"After 20 years of proudly serving SARM, the timing just feels right. Since announcing back in March that I wouldn’t be seeking re-election, the transition has gone so smoothly that there wasn’t any real reason to delay stepping down," Orb shared in a press release sent out yesterday. 

Two prominent "Freedom Convoy" organizers "crossed the line" into criminal activity when they led a massive demonstration to Ottawa in 2022 and refused to leave, the Crown said in its final submissions on their criminal trial Tuesday.

Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were among several organizers who brought a huge number of demonstrators and big-rig trucks to Ottawa two years ago to protest pandemic-era public health restrictions and vaccine mandates.

At the latest Estevan Board of Police Commissioners meeting, it was announced that Jamie Blunden, the current police chief in Weyburn, will take over as chief of the Estevan Police Service starting in October.

Current Chief Rich Lowen’s last day with the Estevan Police Service is August 31. Deputy Chief Warren Morrical will serve as interim chief until Blunden’s arrival.

The Estevan Police Service responded to several calls on Monday, including a fire complaint and a report of a domestic disturbance.

Police responded to a complaint about a neighbour starting a fire in their yard that began spreading into the complainant's yard. Both parties were spoken to, and the file was forwarded to bylaw enforcement and Estevan Fire & Rescue for follow-up.