Estevan

The Conservatives and NDP spent the weekend hunting votes in British Columbia — a key late-campaign battleground that one pollster says may offer Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre his best shot at victory.

Both Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh addressed Canadians' cost-of-living concerns at campaign events in B.C. on Sunday.

Singh was asked if he was advocating strategic voting to shore up the party's flagging support against possible Conservative inroads in the region.

Pope Francis will be remembered by Canadian Catholics as a progressive leader whose approach to the papacy helped usher in a new era of Indigenous relations and make the church more responsive to its rank and file.

The Vatican says the pontiff died Monday at age 88.

Francis was the global leader of Canada's most popular organized religion. Nearly 11 million Canadians identified as Catholic in the 2021 census, second only to those without a religious affiliation.

Reports of measles are swirling across the province, with warnings of possible exposure coming out of Swift Current, and most recently, two locations last week in Regina. 

The Government of Saskatchewan has confirmed six such cases in the province as of April 10, 2025, and while that raises concern for many, there are steps that can be taken to mitigate the risk to you and your loved ones. 

Local emergency responders spoke at a recent career fair in Estevan, sharing both the challenges and rewards of a career in emergency medical services and encouraging young people to explore training opportunities.

Estevan paramedics Brooklyn Heintz and Paige Bayliss shared what drew them to the profession and what keeps them motivated.

“I love helping people,” Heinz said. “Being an advocate—because lots of people get lost in our health system or just have questions unanswered.”

Bayliss echoed that sentiment.

During the SUMA convention's Bear Pit, a number of community leaders and figures were able to stand up and talk to the provincial government. One of those comments came from Estevan's Mayor Tony Sernick, who thanked the province for their recent decision to look into extending the life of the Boundary Dam Power Station's units.

Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for SaskPower, responded to the comments by talking about the work done so far.

The federal Liberals and NDP both released their costed campaign platforms Saturday as Elections Canada reported record turnout in the first day of advanced polls.

Nearly two million people showed up to cast a ballot on Friday, the first of four days for advanced voting in the federal election.

Elections Canada said in a social media post it will be making adjustments over the coming days to handle the high traffic after many voters were met with long lineups at polling stations.

"April showers bring May flowers" is a tried-and-true expression — but for homeowners, the rain and moisture can also bring headaches.

Jeremy Pilon, a communications specialist with SGI, said that without proper preparation, people can end up dealing with wet basements.

“Be it sewer backup or flooding from the surface, it’s important to get your home ready this time of year,” he said.

In the spring, there are a few key things to check to ensure flood prevention systems are in place — starting with sump pumps.

Another step forward is being made for the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation's MRI project, with meetings underway.

Their Project Kickoff meeting was held yesterday with SDI Canada, the company working on the design and construction of the MRI room in St. Joseph's Hospital.

The project has previously had a goal for the design phase to begin this May, with construction taking place in the summer and an expected end date sometime in May/June of next year.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promised to strike down a key element of the Liberal government's environmental policy Friday as he and other party leaders got back on the campaign trail following the national leaders' debates in Montreal.

The campaigning Friday also coincided with the opening of the first of four days of advance polling across the country.

Both Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh stayed in Quebec to make announcements Friday morning, while Liberal Leader Mark Carney made his way to Niagara Falls, Ont.

With economic uncertainty a worry for many Canadians, the latest MNP Consumer Debt Index from an Ipsos poll indicates 63 per cent of Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents have cut their spending and two-thirds are postponing major purchases. In line with those concerns, the Bank of Canada’s benchmark interest rate is holding steady 2.75 per cent, as was announced this morning (Wed), The central bank usually raises the rate to stem inflation and lower it to stimulate growth.