Winnipeg Free Press Newspaper Archives Jul 7 2015, Page 5

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Civic Bonus can be combined with lease rates advertised by HCFI and will be deducted from the negotiated vehicle price. Offers valid from July 1, ........ through July .... , ........ at participating Honda retailers. Offers valid only for Manitoba residents at Honda Dealers of Manitoba locations. Offer valid on ........ Civic DX. Factory order may be required. While quantities last. Visit your Birchwood Honda Dealers for details. STOCK # FO ...... S OLDIERS started rolling into Saskatchewan on Monday to double firefighting efforts in the north, where about 9,000 people have been forced out of their homes — many for more than a week. Colin King, with Saskatchewan’s emergency management department, said 1,000 military personnel were arriving from bases in Shilo, Man., and Edmonton. About 600 are to receive basic wildfire training and will likely be on the ground Wednesday alongside another 600 firefighters. The remaining soldiers are to work in support roles such as helping with equipment and getting food and water to fire crews. King described the fire situation as “ critical” and said people evacuated from more than 50 communities wouldn’t be returning soon. “ The threat has not been reduced in any of those communities. We are advising all community leadership to remain out until it is safe,” he said. As of Monday morning, the most significant of 112 fires burning in the province was about three kilometres north of La Ronge, one of the largest communities in the north. Residents were evacuated on the weekend from the town, as well as neighbouring Air Ronge and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. Fires and thick smoke forced others in the north to start leaving their homes 11 days earlier. Flames have destroyed about a dozen homes, remote cabins and other buildings in Montreal Lake, Weyakwin and Wadin Bay. One building also burned north of La Ronge. About 300 square kilometres are burning in what officials are calling high- priority fire zones, about 10 times the yearly average. Scott Wasylenchuk with the Provincial Fire Centre had some good news, however. An area near La Ronge burned in an old forest fire is acting as a natural barrier, and wind was expected to shift flames away from the town. “ Which means some of the fire lines closest to the community won’t be as hot, and we’ll be able to get on them and make good progress,” he said. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, who visited La Ronge last week, said he’s glad soldiers are on hand to help, and he’s not worried fire will spread into the town. “ Right now we’re in a pretty good spot... We’re feeling cautiously optimistic after a difficult weekend.” Nearly 700 evacuees from La Ronge were being housed in Cold Lake, Alta. The Alberta government had said it was preparing to receive up to 5,000 after centres in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and North Battleford were filling up. Fires are also burning in other western provinces. In Alberta, 200 people remain out of their homes on the North Tallcree First Nation. — The Canadian Press B. C. reeling from raging wildfires VANCOUVER — Dozens of wildfires prompted by scorching temperatures in British Columbia have forced residents from their homes, prompted extraordinary health advisories and led to the death of one man. There have been almost 900 wildfires across the province since the season started April 1, and 184 of those are still burning, said chief fire information officer Kevin Skrepnek. Smoke has left a heavy blanket of stagnant grey haze over the province’s south coast, setting off unusual air quality advisories across southern Vancouver Island, along the mainland coast, Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Roger Quan, director of air quality for Metro Vancouver, said conditions worsened Monday. “ This is more widespread than anything we’ve seen in the past,” he said. “ The wind is blowing smoke from, we believe, the Sunshine Coast and the Seato- Sky area. There are three large fires in that area and that seems to be impacting us most heavily. But there are also fires in the B. C. Interior, so we’re receiving smoke from both ends.” People with heart or lung problems or medical conditions such as diabetes, as well as the elderly and the very young, are urged to remain indoors and limit strenuous activity. Chris Carlsten, who works in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, said the heat and the smoke from the wildfires are a problematic combination, especially for people with breathing problems. — The Canadian Press Soldiers help battle fires Thousands in Saskatchewan forced to flee DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS A man fishes at the mouth of the Capilano River in West Vancouver as smoke shrouds Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver Monday. Aboriginal issues among most urgent OTTAWA — The Canadian Human Rights Commission has told a United Nations panel the plight of Canada’s aboriginal people is one of the country’s most urgent civil rights issues. The commission made that submission to the UN Human Rights Committee, which opened its review of Canada’s compliance to the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights Monday. There was broad criticism of the Harper government’s policies on murdered or missing aboriginal women as well as Canada’s approach to terrorism, including the recent passage of the anti- terrorism act. It’s the first time Canada has been examined by the panel since 2005, which makes this the first such examination of the Conservatives’ rights record. The government will formally respond today to a variety of complaints at what is a regularly scheduled examination of Canada’s record. Both asleep during rape, man says TORONTO — A man who admitted to raping a sleeping woman years after being convicted of sexually assaulting her won a new trial Monday after arguing he was also asleep at the time of the attack. However, in granting Ryan Hartman another hearing, Ontario’s top court ruled the only issue to be decided will be whether he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time that made him not criminally responsible for the assault. Hartman was convicted in May 2012 and sentenced to 14 months imprisonment for sexually assaulting the woman at a party in Brockville, Ont. He denied the assault had occurred, but Superior Court upheld the conviction in December 2012. In turning to the Court of Appeal, Hartman dropped his denial. Instead, he sought to introduce expert evidence to show he was suffering from sexsomnia and was unaware of his actions. Charged in lawn chair balloon ride CALGARY — A Calgary man got more than he bargained for when he flew over the city in a lawn chair attached to helium balloons and then had to parachute to safety. Police have charged the man with mischief and say more charges could be on the way. “ It’s the first time I’ve seen anything like it in my career,” said Calgary police acting Insp. Kyle Grant. “ I usually see it on those crazy shows on TV of what not to do.” A person was spotted floating over the Stampede grounds Sunday in the chair, which was attached to more than 100 helium balloons. He was then seen gliding to Earth outside the grounds using a parachute. “ He sat in the chair and began floating over Calgary. It’s my understanding that he didn’t have any sort of device to steer the craft and got to a point so high at cloud level that he became a little worried and decided to jump from the chair,” Grant said. “ He deployed the parachute and ended up landing in a green space and rolled his ankle, causing minor injury. He was looked at by EMS, then taken into custody and eventually charged.” Daniel Boria, 26, of Calgary faces one count of mischief causing danger to life. He has since been released. Second suspect in killing sought LONDON, Ont. — Police are looking for a second Calgary man wanted in the shooting death of a young man who tried to get his cellphone back in London, Ont. Officers say 24- year- old Mohamed Ibrahim Sail is wanted on a second- degree murder charge in the death of 18- year- old Jeremy Cook. London police say he is considered dangerous. Police say Cook was killed June 14 after tracking his cellphone to a car with three men inside and was shot multiple times when he grabbed the car as it began to drive away. Another Calgary man, 23- year- old Muhab Sultan, was also wanted for murder, but was found dead in the Rideau River June 27 after police say he ran away from officers and fell under. — from the wire services THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES A fire crew battles a blaze in the La Ronge area in northern Saskatchewan Saturday. AROUND Canada A_ 05_ Jul- 07- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A5 7/ 6/ 15 10: 28: 42 PM