Canada mulls military training mission in West Africa

The Harper government is examining whether to dispatch Canadian troops to help train an African force whose purpose would be to take back a vast swath of Mali from an off-shoot of al-Qaeda.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay, speaking in Halifax Sunday, said what form of military assistance can be provided to a growing international swell is something that's under active discussion.

"What I can tell you is that we are contemplating what contribution Canada could make," MacKay said at an announcement related to rental housing rates on military bases.

The United Nations recently decided to back a proposal from Economic Community of West African States — ECOWAS — to send 3,300 troops to the region.

Canadian special forces troops were active in the west African country for several training missions prior to the coup last March that installed a shaky interim government. Those missions also took place before Islamic Maghreb — known as AQIM — overran much of the northern portion of the impoverished nation.

"We are not at a point where we would be making an announcement, but as you know, training is something that the Canadian Forces is particularly adept at doing," MacKay said. "We've demonstrated that repeated in the last, well, throughout our history, but certainly the training mission in Afghanistan is a testament to that commitment and that ability and something that has garnered the admiration of recipient nations but also other countries who emulate Canadian training techniques."

Mali, a landlocked country bordering on Algeria and Niger, has been one of the biggest recipients of Canada's foreign aid. Fighters from an Al Qaeda-linked Islamist group stand guard in northern Mali earlier this year. (Reuters)

France has been at the forefront of organizing an international response, including the African-led international force which could be trained by western troops.

Malian Prime Minister Diango Cissoko, last week, pleaded for military intervention "as soon as possible."

The African troops would need training in desert combat and counterinsurgency warfare.

Canada could also provide what the military call enablers: communications, intelligence, transport planes or helicopters for airlift.

But it is in the area of special forces, more specifically counter-terrorism training, that the Canadian military would likely make the most immediate contribution.

Briefing records for the commander of the country's special forces show members of a highly-trained, ultra-secret regiment have conducted at least three training mission in the country between 2010 and 2011.

"Each involved embedding training Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) trainers within" training units from other countries, said a Sept. 27, 2011 briefing to Brig.-Gen Denis Thompson.

'Training only'

But the memo took pains to emphasize there would be no combat, and much like Afghanistan, the troops would be restricted to inside the wire instruction.

"This task is limited in scope to training only. CANSOFCOM members will not engage in any form of operational mentoring of Malian forces," the note said.

It added that Canadians retained control of the training teams, but also the engagement in Mali was considered by former chief of defence staff retired general Walt Natynczyk to be a "recurring operation in the Trans-Sahel Region."

The fact special forces have experience working the country is a bonus, should the government commit to a training mission, said the general in charge of the regiment.

"Does it inform anything that may or may not happen in the future? I don't think it informs any policy decisions that have to be made, but it certainly reassures people that there's enough tactical acumen inside the CANSOFCOM — and quite frankly in my humble opinion inside the Canadian Army — to pick up and help out in any one of these countries if that was the decision that was made," said Thompson in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.

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Bogus cellphone roaming charges irk border residents

A Rogers Wireless customer who lives near the B.C.-Washington border is upset about being overcharged more than $400 in U.S. "roaming" charges — for calls and texts her family made while at home in Canada.

"It has literally been a nightmare dealing with this," said Jane Goundrey, of White Rock, B.C. "We've roamed inside our house at least 75, 80 per cent of the time."

Goundrey said that on her street the Rogers signal can't compete with the powerful signal from AT&T in Washington. As a result, her family's phones automatically switch to the U.S. network.

"The only way a Rogers customer gets coverage here is to roam into the States. Why don't they just admit that up front?" Goundrey asked.

Rogers signal unreliable

She said the root of the problem is that her neighbourhood doesn't get adequate service from Rogers.

Goundrey and husband John Todd said they spent hours trying to sort out the roaming charges on their Rogers bills. (CBC)

"Their first advice is 'just turn your roaming off.' And I say when I turn my roaming off I do not have any cellphone coverage," said Goundrey. "Rogers does not have a cell tower here that does work."

Rogers spokeswoman Sara Holland acknowledged to Go Public that "accidental roaming" is a problem.

"Network signal overlaps can happen near the U.S. border. It's an industry-wide challenge and unfortunately it can affect our customers too," said Holland.

"In terms of White Rock, we do have a number of cell sites … and we are looking at other sites to improve our service in that area to cut down on accidental roaming."

Critics say many Canadians living along the border are frustrated by domestic wireless carriers who do not invest enough in cell towers.

"Unfortunately for consumers, there isn't a whole lot of economic incentive for the telecom companies to fix this once and for all," said industry analyst Carmi Levy.

Additional telecom revenue

"Every time a mistake is made [a bill for accidental roaming], if a consumer doesn't raise a flag or doesn't raise the antenna then that's additional revenue for these companies."

Goundrey said her main complaint is that she had to spend countless hours inspecting her bills and trying to get Rogers to reverse the bogus charges.

Goundrey and husband John Todd said they spent hours trying to sort out the roaming charges on their Rogers bills. (CBC)

"We've had at least 21 conversations with them in the three years since my daughter and I joined with my husband on this family plan," said Goundrey. "The way they do the billing is so complicated that you would need to put your life aside and just look at your bills to deal with it."

Rogers did eventually refund Goundrey $400 for charges incurred this fall. However, she said she had to start from scratch every time she called — with a new customer services representative — which was incredibly frustrating.

"I've been on hold for 10 to 15 minutes talking to a 'tier one' person with them fighting or even refusing to let me talk to a manager one level up," said Goundrey.

Widespread border problem

Some of her neighbours also reported they have to call Rogers repeatedly to get the incorrect charges cancelled.

"I have this problem with Rogers on my BlackBerry," White Rock resident Kirk Mitchell said in an email. "The contract termination costs with Rogers are very costly — so I just resign to do quarterly venting to customer service."

Telecom industry analyst Carmi Levy said charges for roaming in Canada are a chronic headache for residents all along the U.S. border. (CBC)

"Roaming" in Canada has also been reported as a chronic headache for customers with various providers in Windsor, Ont., across the river from Detroit.

"We live in a long thin band along the U.S. border," said Levy. "Really the only solution to this is to ensure that the Canadian network always prevails over the American one. To do that you would have to have more cell towers with more powerful equipment."

He points out that some of the obstacles to fixing the problem are beyond the telecom industry's control, such as government limits on signal strength and protests over new cell towers.

"The wheels of regulatory change continue to turn very slowly," said Levy.

"This is an area where both Canadian and American carriers have to get together and come up with a solution that works for everyone because the status quo is completely unacceptable."

Roaming overcharges common

In a recent survey by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa, 89 per cent of responders said they had been charged too much for roaming while away from home.

PIAC wants the CRTC to crack down on telecom companies, suggesting all roaming charges be capped, with limits chosen by users. The regulator is holding hearings early next year, where prices for cell usage will be on the agenda.

Goundrey's bills from Rogers list numerous charges for roaming in the U.S., when the calls were made from her home in B.C. (CBC)

Meantime, Rogers said it's working to cut down on customer frustration.

"If 'accidental roaming' does occur within Canada, we automatically re-rate voice calls so they don't show up on a customer's bill," said Rogers spokeswoman Holland.

"For texts and data, we adjust the invoice. We realize that's not an ideal experience for our customers and we're working on ways to also automatically re-rate accidental roaming charges for text and data."

Jane Goundrey's three-year contract with Rogers recently expired. She has just switched to Bell, which piggybacks on the Telus cell tower network in the White Rock area.

So far, she said, her family has seen a big improvement.

"I have coverage at home. I can make phone calls," she said. Until the problem in her neighborhood is fixed, she thinks Rogers should warn customers up front, before they sign up for three years.

"You are stuck with it — and they aren't honest when you sign up with what you are getting yourself into," she said.

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Hunger-striking chief calls for action amidst health concerns

On First Nations Chief Theresa Spence's 20th day of her politically motivated hunger strike, Canadians and politicians answered her plea for solidarity for her cause to secure a meeting between First Nations leaders, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the Governor General.

The Attawapiskat chief sent Friday a public plea to make Sunday a day of solidarity, asking Canadians to stage protests across the country and petitioning politicians to meet with her in Ottawa.

A number of politicians started making their way to Victoria Island, Ottawa, where the chief is residing in a teepee, including a 15-member NDP delegation, spokeswoman Valérie Dufour told CBC News on Sunday.

Originally, 17 NDP MPs were expected, Cheryl Maloney, who self-identified as a Spence supporter and is the president of the Nova Scotia Native Women's Association, told CBC News. However, two expected MPs experienced weather-related delays.

NDP sends MPs to meet with chief

The group, which was scheduled to meet with Spence at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, was to be led by deputy leader Megan Leslie and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus.

The NDP has been following Spence's hunger strike very closely, Dufour said. Since the chief started her hunger strike on Dec. 11, she has subsisted on fish broth and tea. Her condition has been worsening, according to a statement released Friday.

"Her condition continues to weaken every hour," read the statement.

On Dec. 18, party leader Thomas Mulcair wrote a letter to Harper asking him to meet with Spence."Please act swiftly to avoid a personal tragedy for Chief Spence," he wrote.

Now, 20 days into Spence's hunger strike, the NDP is "beginning to be very worried," said Dufour. "It's dangerous for her…We're all a bit afraid because she said she's even willing to die for it."

Dufour said Harper should meet with First Nations leaders as soon as possible because it is the only way to settle the matter, adding that Spence isn't asking for much by requesting a meeting with the prime minister.

"Now it's time for Stephen Harper to show some leadership and to extend a hand and to meet with the leader," she said.

Spence supporter Maloney, who forwarded the chief's latest statement, said she was not authorized to speak about Spence's condition. She said it is getting harder for the chief to host visitors and conduct interviews. The chief rested in advance of Sunday's meeting, which was to include 15 NDP MPs, two Liberal MPs and three Liberal senators.

"[We] haven't heard anything from any Conservatives at all," she said.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has offered several times to speak with Spence and form a working group, but she rejected his proposals because she believes he is not the one who should be speaking on a nation-to-nation basis.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, an Inuk who is one of two aboriginal MPs in the Conservative cabinet, urged Spence to stop fasting and accept a meeting with Duncan. "That's the best way to address her issues," Aglukkaq said.

Spence chose to continue her fast, hoping to secure a meeting with Harper and the Governor General instead.

Former PM visits Spence

On Saturday afternoon, former prime minister Joe Clark visited Spence, following her open invitation.

In a statement after his meeting, Clark said that "there is a general concern that First Nations–Canada relations are headed in a dangerous direction."

'First Nations - Canada relations are headed in a dangerous direction'—Joe Clark, former prime minister

People no longer active in political life may have to help support "the resumption of productive discussions," he said.

"Chief Spence expressed a humble and achievable vision — one which I believe all Canadians can embrace," he said, adding honest dialogue and mutual commitment can carry-out her vision.

Idle No More rallies staged across Canada

Meanwhile, Canadians held rallies on Sunday in a show of support for the chief.

An Idle No More protest at Toronto's Eaton Centre was organized in response to a call for action from hunger-striking First Nations Chief Theresa Spence. (John Bowman/CBC News)

At least half a dozen events were planned on Sunday across Canada, said CBC's Shannon Martin.

The Idle No More movement — which has hosted several demonstrations in past weeks and is loosely tied to Spence's protest — staged a rally in Toronto, Ont., in response to the chief's call for action. Participants gathered near the Eaton Centre for a "round dance flash mob," according to the Toronto chapter's Twitter account.

In Alberta, about 400 protesters gathered outside Harper's Calgary office, reported CBC's Devin Heroux. People performed a round dance, carried signs and played drums as part of an Idle No More flash mob.

Various rallies and demonstrations supporting Spence also took place yesterday in Oklahoma, Washington, Cincinnati, and Regina — where a four-day hunger strike is underway, said Martin.

With files from the Canadian Press

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Kyoto climate change treaty sputters to a sorry end

The controversial and ineffective Kyoto Protocol's first stage comes to an end today, leaving the world with 58 per cent more greenhouse gases than in 1990, as opposed to the five per cent reduction its signatories sought.

From the beginning, the treaty that was adopted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, was problematic. Opponents denied the science of climate change and claimed the treaty was a socialist plot. Environmentalists decried the lack of ambition in Kyoto and warned of dire consequences for future generations.

But the goal of the treaty was simple.

"We hoped that we would be able to reduce greenhouse gases substantially, but that it was a first step," explained Christine Stewart, the Liberal environment minister who negotiated in Kyoto on Canada's behalf.

The Kyoto Protocol was an initiative that came out of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. It recognized that climate change was a result of greenhouse gases created by human industrial activity. The idea was that rich nations, which had already benefited from industrialization, would reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in the first part of the treaty and developing nations would join in later.

Although the protocol was adopted in 1997, it didn't to come into force until 2005. In the intervening eight years, countries set reduction targets for themselves and ratified the agreement.

"At the time we didn't realize how complicated it would be to get the Kyoto Protocol ratified and for it to enter into force internationally," said Steven Guilbeault, co-founder of Equiterre, a Montreal-based environmental charity.

Problems from the beginning

Right off the bat, there were problems. The U.S., the world's biggest emitter at the time, signed up but never ratified.

And Canada ratified the treaty but with targets that were unachievable in the opinion of many.

'If we ratify this thing, we'll never hit our targets.'—Bob Mills, former Reform and Conservative MP

Bob Mills was a Reform Party MP from Alberta who went to Kyoto with the government. He was in Johannesburg five years later when the country agreed to reduce emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels.

"If we ratify this thing we'll never hit our targets," Mills warned Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien at the time, because he was worried Canada's international reputation would take a hit.

To his disappointment, Mills was right. As 2005 rolled around, Canada was nowhere near to having a plan and our emissions were rising. When he entered government a year later, the Conservatives started to lay the groundwork for much less ambitious greenhouse gas reductions.

"In 2006, it was a pretty tough situation because nothing really had been accomplished. We had these targets in front of us, they were impossible to hit," he said.

Taking a pass on Kyoto targets

And so, Canada's new government decided not to bother. They worried about the harm it would cause Canada's economy and the fact that only developed nations had to cut back while economic up-and-comers like China, India and Brazil could pollute as much as they wanted.

"We would have to pull every truck and car off the street, shut down every train and ground every plane to reach the Kyoto target the Liberals negotiated for Canada," argued Conservative Environment Minister Rona Ambrose in 2006.

Instead, the Conservative government opted to begin a long process of overhauling all of Canada's environmental legislation. That meant scaling back on Kyoto commitments that couldn't be met.

Canada announced to the world that we wouldn't be able to meet our Kyoto targets in 2007. Three years later we set new, easier-to-hit targets — 17 per cent below 2005 levels — that keep us in line with the Americans.

'Kyoto, for Canada, is in the past'

The final nail in the coffin for Canada's involvement in Kyoto went in on Dec. 13, 2011.

"Kyoto, for Canada, is in the past," announced Environment Minister Peter Kent at a news conference in Ottawa soon after he got off the plane from a climate change conference in Durban, South Africa. Kent gave one year's notice and, as of Dec. 15 this year, Canada was no longer a party to the Kyoto Protocol.

Environment Minister Peter Kent announces that Canada will withdraw from the Kyoto accord, outside the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Dec. 12, 2011. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

While there is plenty of blame to be shared between the Liberals and Conservatives for Canada's failure to meet its targets and remain in Kyoto, the problem of climate change remains a growing threat.

"There is building evidence that, in fact, climate change is accelerating. It's closer than we had thought earlier … are running out of time," worries John Stone, a Canadian climate scientist and a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. vice-president Al Gore.

If there is anything good that came out of the Kyoto experience, it is that the issue it tried and failed to tackle is now top of mind, says Guilbeault.

"That's probably one of the biggest accomplishments of the Kyoto Protocol, is making climate change something that's part of our everyday life."

Some countries have signed on to a second round of Kyoto commitments beginning Jan. 1, 2013, and stretching through to 2020, but they only represent 15 per cent of current world emissions.

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Ontario teachers face midnight deadline

The deadline for Ontario teachers to reach agreements with their local school boards is set to arrive at one minute before midnight on Monday.

Laurel Broten, Ontario's education minister, is urging those boards and teachers that haven't yet reached deals to do so before Monday's deadline.

She says 65 ratified local agreements have been submitted so far and she's hoping others will follow.

Broten has not said whether she will move to impose contracts on Jan. 1 — only that she has the option to do it under Bill 115.

CBC's Jermaine Hylton reported Monday that there's uncertainty about what will happen when students return after the Christmas break. After contracts are imposed, any strike action would be illegal.

"What will happen in the New Year isn't as clear," said Hylton. "While teachers aren't allowed to strike after Jan. 1, the public elementary and high school unions are warning they'll stage political protests of Bill 115 in the New Year."

The legislation — which freezes the pay of most teachers, reduces their ability to bank sick days and limits their right to strike — has drawn protests from teachers' unions in the province.

The union representing public elementary teachers held a series of rotating one-day strikes earlier this month as part of its fight against the controversial legislation and has warned of more protests.

On Sunday, Broten announced a tentative deal with the Canadian Union of Public Employees which represents about 55,000 workers, including educational assistants, early childhood educators, instructors, custodians, librarians and secretaries.

CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn says the union remains opposed to Bill 115 and will continue its campaign to repeal it, which includes a legal challenge.

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Montreal says snow removal will take more than a week

The City of Montreal said snow removal is going to take longer than expected following Thursday's record snowfall.

Michel Frenette, a spokesman for the city, said snow removal will take about nine days to accomplish.

The nine days also includes a break period for workers.

"We will stop operations on the evening of the 31st and come back 36 hours later on the morning of Jan. 2," said Frenette.

He said it is taking longer because snow blowers have to go over the same area multiple times to remove all of the snow.

Three thousand people are working to clear the snow.

Frenette said he is hopeful the clearing will be finished by Jan. 7 for people's return to school.

Despite the added days, he said he estimates the removal will cost about $25 million.

According to Environment Canada, Montreal was covered by a record-breaking 47 centimetres of snow on Thursday.

"It's a historical storm," said Réné Héroux from Environment Canada. "We've never had this much snow in a day. In 1971, there was a lot of snow, but it was over more than a day."

The snowfall surpassed the previous daily record established in March 1971 by two centimetres.

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First Nations chief Theresa Spence calls for solidarity protests

As First Nations Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike continues, the chief called for weekend solidarity protests from all Canadians to force Prime Minister Stephen Harper to meet with her and other native leaders angered by his policies.

'Her condition continues to weaken every hour.'—Statement from Chief Theresa Spence

While Idle No More protests have been staged in various communities over the past two weeks — a movement aiming to repair existing violations to the treaty relationship — this is the Attawapiskat chief's first time calling for action.

"Her condition continues to weaken every hour and the time has come for increased efforts to gain the support of Canadians and governments in forging this new relationship," read a statement released late Friday.

After starting her hunger strike on Dec. 11th, the chief declared she is "willing to die" for her people.

Wawa First Nations holds solidarity protest

In the statement, Chief Spence asked all Canadians and indigenous people to stage ceremonies, events and rallies, calling on Harper to meet with her and "commit to a path of recognition and implementation of the treaty commitments and forging a new First Nations crown relationship."

According to the statement, international and national events will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday.

People from the Northern Ontario town of Wawa have already answered her call by staging an Idle No More protest Saturday afternoon, which was expected to last four hours, according to the movement's Facebook page.

Some Michipicoten First Nation members planned to stage the protest at the junction of highways 101 and 17 in support of Chief Spence, wrote one of the event's organizers, and because "so many of our lakes on Crown Land are no longer accessible to us."

Police warned locals to expect traffic delays because of the protest, but said they hoped the organizers would ensure the demonstration did not interfere with emergency vehicle traffic.

Chief Spence also issued an open house invitation to all MPs and Senators to visit her at her teepee on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. She is expected to make a brief statement to the media at that time.

The NDP announced Saturday that a delegation of its MPs will visit the chief Sunday. The delegation will be led by Megan Leslie and Charlie Angus.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has offered to speak with Chief Spence and form a working group, but she declined his offer because she believes he isn't the one who should be speaking on a nation-to-nation level.

Saturday marks Chief Spence's 19th day without solid food, which she stopped eating in an effort to secure a meeting between First Nations leaders, the prime minister and Governor General over the treaty relationship.

With files from Canadian Press

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Woman with flu-like symptoms dies on Vancouver-Toronto train

A woman was found dead on a Via Rail passenger train early Saturday morning.

The company says the Vancouver-to-Toronto train stopped near Parry Sound, Ont., because four passengers were showing flu-like symptoms.

Emergency crews boarded the train and confirmed that a woman who Via Rail described in a news release as elderly had died.

The other three passengers were taken to hospital for treatment, according to the news release.

The train was about six hours late getting to Toronto, according to the release. The train had left Vancouver on Christmas Day night.

Via said a quarantine was placed on the two rooms the passengers were in, which is part of their standard procedures. It's not believed anyone else was in those compartments, which will be sterilized.

Health officials say it's not believed that other passengers or the train's crew were exposed to those taken off the train, which had 200 passengers and 13 crew members on board.

The local coroner was trying to determine the cause of death and the Ontario Provincial Police say the woman's identity was being withheld until all family members were notified.

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Canadian juniors survive late burst by U.S.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Strome scored for Canada in a 2-1 win over the United States at the world junior hockey championship Sunday.

Canada (3-0) faces host Russia on Monday in a battle of unbeaten teams for first place in Pool B.

The top team in the pool gains a bye to the semifinal.

Malcolm Subban stopped 36 shots in Canada's net for his third win of the tournament.

Defenceman Jacob Trouba replied for the Americans.

U.S. goaltender John Gibson, who plays for the Ontario Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers, made 30 saves.

Canada was short two forwards in the game because they were serving suspensions.

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Second winter storm in a week hits the Maritimes

People in all three Maritime provinces are digging out this morning after the second winter storm in a few days blanketed most of the region in snow.

Nova Scotia could see up to 40 centimetres of snow by Sunday night in the province's north and the Annapolis Valley. Flurries hit the western Maritimes late Saturday night. The storm is expected to continue until noon on Sunday.

Meanwhile in southeasterm parts of Nova Scotia people are waking up to less snow than they expected in their driveways.The snow has changed to a wet mix of rain, ice pellets and snow throughout the Halifax region.

New Brunswick and P.E.I. are bracing for more snow and rain.

Driving

Police continue to urge motorists to stay off the slippery roads throughout the three Maritime provinces.

In New Brunswick there are reports of drifting snow on roads around Sussex and Fredericton. Roads are snow covered through much of the south and eastern parts of the province.

The Confederation Bridge is open to all traffic, but high winds could cause problems for travellers heading to and from P.E.I. this morning.

Power

There have been a few reported power outages in Nova Scotia Sunday morning. There are about 2,800 customers without power in Clare, Liverpool, Pubnico, Shelburne and Guysborough County.

Nova Scotia Power said it has brought in extra staff ahead of the storm to minimize the impact of the storm on the power grid.

Allan Street in Halifax was blanketed in snow Sunday morning after the storm. (Catharine Tunney/CBC)

Moncton has about 3,000 customers waiting for the utility to restore their power.

So far there are no reported power outages on P.E.I.

Flights

Both the arrivals and departures board at Halifax's Stanfield international Airport are a sea of red. Many flights scheduled this morning are cancelled or delayed.

Two flights leaving from the Saint John Airport this morning have been cancelled. There are also a few flight cancellations and delays at airports in Moncton and Fredericton.

Most Maritime departures and arrivals scheduled for Sunday afternoon are running on time.

On P.E.I., the morning flight to Halifax has been cancelled.

The Halifax Stanfield International Airport is warning passengers to check their flight's status before leaving for the airport.

Ferries

The poor weather has cancelled the Marine Atlantic ferry between Newfoundland and Cape Breton.

The Bay ferry leaving Saint John, N.B. and Digby, N.S. have both been cancelled.

Eastern Canada hit late last week

Eastern Canada had just finished cleaning up after being blasted by another winter storm late last week.

Parts of New Brunswick were hit with between 20 and 38 centimetres of snow and in some places freezing rain and rain.

That system then headed up to Newfoundland, where about 25 centimetres fell on the northeast coast and central parts of the island.

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Store video cameras failing to comply with privacy laws

Most retailers in Canada are failing to follow new federal rules when it comes to operating video surveillance cameras in their stores and businesses, according to a study by a professor of information studies at the University of Toronto.

Andrew Clement, co-founder of the Identity, Privacy and Security Institute, found that not a single video camera in one of Canada's largest malls complied with the signage requirements of the federal Personal Information, Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

'If we lose control over our personal images, then it's hard to maintain control over other kinds of information.'—Andrew Clement, professor of information studies

Clement and his graduate students collected information on video cameras set up in two Toronto area malls, the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto and Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga. Of the hundreds of cameras on the properties, the students found only about 30 per cent had any kind of sign alerting people to their use and none met even the minimum standards required under the law.

Andrew Clement, co-founder of the Identity, Privacy and Security Institute, found that not a single video camera in one of Canada's largest malls complied with federal signage requirements.

"The findings of this study raise disturbing implications, as both video surveillance penetration and capabilities are expanding rapidly without appropriate understanding, transparency, oversight or accountability," the authors of the study wrote.

Under the law, stores are required to post signs outside their entrances that alert customers to the use of video surveillance, its purpose and a contact number so people can find out how they can obtain a copy of any footage that contains their image.

"I was surprised that in our study we didn't find a single one and it shocks me a bit," Clement told CBC News. "There is a resistance on the part of these private sector operators to entertain the idea that they have any obligations."

Clement and his students have now set up a website advising people of their rights when it comes to video surveillance at surveillancerights.ca. And they are doing further work with funding from the office of the federal privacy commissioner. The group has even developed a free app to download that allows people to document and record each time they encounter a surveillance camera.

Nathalie Desrosiers, general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, called Clement's findings surprising. She said while many people have come to accept video surveillance as part of everyday life, people also expect to have their privacy rights respected.

Nathalie Desrosiers of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association says many people have come to accept video surveillance as part of everyday life. (Maureen Brosnahan/CBC)

People have a right to choose if they want to enter a store and then have their image recorded, she said, but if they don't know they are being recorded, they can't make that choice.

"It's a question of not depriving people of the opportunity to make a decision themselves about what they want to share and what they do not want to share and that's a fundamental aspect of human dignity."

Desrosiers says this also raises concerns about how the recorded information is being used, and whether the technology is being mined for other reasons, such as targeted marketing or law enforcement.

Chantal Bernier, Canada's assistant privacy commissioner, told CBC News her office receives very few complaints about video cameras used by businesses.

"People don't know … that they are under video surveillance," she said. "If they knew how much surveillance went on, they would certainly object."

While video surveillance cameras have become almost commonplace, Bernier says their effectiveness in terms of reducing theft is questionable.

"Statistics on preventive video surveillance shows that it's practically non-existent. Even in relation to criminal investigations its effect is quite limited," she said. "So the case for video surveillance in relation to security still has to be made."

But Bernier admits her office has little clout when it comes to making companies comply with the law. "The only power we really have is the power to name," she said. "We use it only as prescribed by law and when it is in the public interest to name."

Last year, in her annual report, Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart did single out Sobeys, a major Canadian grocery chain, for failing to follow the law. The case involved a customer who slipped and fell in the store. She was not aware that the whole incident had been taped and when she found out later, Sobeys initially refused to provide her with a copy of the recording.

"Our enforcement powers have been terribly limited," Bernier said, adding all her office can do for now is try to raise awareness among both the Canadian public and private sector businesses. "We need to add enforcement powers."

Clement agrees.

"We regulate elevators and all kinds of things. I think video surveillance should be brought under a similar regime," he said. "If we lose control over our personal images, then it's hard to maintain control over other kinds of information."

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First Nations chief rejects minister's call to end hunger strike

One of the two aboriginal MPs in the Conservative cabinet has called on Chief Theresa Spence to abandon her fast aimed at securing a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, who is Inuk, joined other federal officials in asking Spence to accept a meeting with Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and end the campaign that has seen the chief go more than two weeks without solid food.

"I would encourage her to stop and meet with Minister Duncan and that's the best way to address her issues," Aglukkaq said Friday.

Duncan is the one responsible for the portfolio and that's why he's the right person to meet, Aglukkaq said

Spence rejected Aglukkaq's recommendation because she believes Duncan isn't the one who should be speaking on a nation-to-nation basis.

"When our ancestors made treaties with the British Crown to allow the Queen's subjects to live in our territories, it was for as long as the sun shines, the waters flow and the grass grows," Spence said in a statement.

"The Crown's only legal access to our lands is contingent upon the fulfilment of the promises made in the negotiations of treaty."

Spence, who is the chief of a remote reserve in Northern Ontario, stopped eating solid food on Dec. 11 in an effort to secure a meeting between First Nations leaders, the prime minister and Governor General over the treaty relationship.

Government serious about improvements

Duncan has offered several times to speak with her and to form a working group, but the minister has been rebuffed at every turn.

The government points to a meeting it held last January with First Nations leaders as proof it is serious about improving the relationship and notes it has spent millions on aboriginal health, housing and education.

But aboriginal leaders say they are being left out of the discussion the Harper government is having about how best to develop Canada's lucrative natural resources.

A series of protests over the last two weeks under the banner of Idle No More were in part spurred by the recent budget bill which removed federal oversight over waterways without consulting aboriginal groups who depend on them for water and food.

'Canada is considered a First World country and our peoples are living in extreme poverty and substandard living conditions'—Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence

Meanwhile, bands are concerned that a lack of training and education will see them shut out of resource development projects that could provide economic stimulus to many struggling communities.

In the statement released Friday, Spence said she remains hopeful that Harper or Gov. Gen. David Johnston will accept her request.

"Canada is considered a First World country and our peoples are living in extreme poverty and substandard living conditions," she said.

"As nations, we held up our end of the treaty, yet Canada continues to only pay lip service to our relationship."

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Peruvian man slowly improving after Ontario crash

A Peruvian man who spent nearly four months in a coma after surviving one of the deadliest car crashes in Ontario history says he has shown significant improvement in the last few weeks but still cannot walk or talk, his sister has told CBC.

Edgar Sulla-Puma is one of three survivors of the Feb. 6 crash in Hampstead, Ont., northeast of Stratford, which killed 11 men. The victims included migrant farm workers in a passenger van and the driver of the truck that collided with their vehicle.

The driver of the 15-seat minivan had failed to stop at a rural intersection and drove into the path of the oncoming transport truck. The men in the van had just finished their first day of work vaccinating chickens at a poultry farm.

Matilde Sulla-Puma says she tries to protect her brother from hearing anything about the accident as he undergoes rehabilitation in Hamilton. (CBC)

Edgar's sister, Matilde Sulla-Puma, spoke to the CBC's Ivy Cuervo about his slow recovery.

The 27-year-old was moved to a long-term care facility in Hamilton nearly two months ago to undergo rehabilitation. He was initially airlifted to Hamilton General after the accident, while two other survivors were taken to London, Ont.

Most of Edgar's days are spent in therapy, working to strengthen his muscles. Often, Matilde is by his side, holding the hands of her younger brother and offering words of encouragement.

"I love you so much. Everything is going to be okay," she whispered in Edgar's ear.

"I don't know how much he understands or if he knows who am I because he can't talk," she told Cuervo.

Edgar has a limited ability to move his left arm. However, he needs help eating.

"His condition is serious. That's why the neurologist told us that he would essentially be a vegetable," his sister said.

Doctors believed Edgar would remain in a persistent vegetative state, but he came out of his coma and opened his eyes in late May.

Matilde said she doesn't like to talk about what happened that day last February. But as her brother remained unconscious she never gave up hoping he would get better.

"Even when my brother was in a coma I never stopped believing in the possibility that God could perform a miracle," she said.

"I tell him he had an accident. I try. But the problem is he can get really anxious and I protect him a lot because of that," Matilde said. "I don't like it when people talk to him about the accident, because he remembers and he gets frustrated."

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Record-breaking storm hits Newfoundland

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The winter storm that dumped a record-breaking amount of snow on Montreal is now hitting Newfoundland, with Environment Canada saying northern and central parts of the province can expect 20 to 30 centimetres.

"Heavy snow and strong easterly winds over southwestern Newfoundland this morning will spread northeastward today," Environment Canada said.

By 11 p.m. local time, there were snowfall accumulations of 23 centimetres in Deer Lake, 21 centimetres in Gander and less than a centimetre in St. John's.

Winter storm warnings are in effect in many parts of central and northern Newfoundland, with Environment Canada warning that "dangerous winter weather conditions" are expected in some areas.

The low-pressure system producing the storm is expected to move from southern Nova Scotia to near Cape Breton by Friday evening. The system will then track across eastern Newfoundland at night before moving to the northeast of the province on Saturday.

Strong easterly winds will accompany the system, with gusts reaching 100 km/h along Newfoundland's south and west coasts, and gusts to 150 km/h in the Wreckhouse area.

Wind speeds in Wreckhouse had reached a peak of 143 km/h by 2:30 p.m. local time, Barney said in a post on Twitter.

Eastern Newfoundland can expect snow turning to mixed precipitation, and then rain.

Environment Canada has also issued a winter storm watch for Nova Scotia saying "significant snowfall" is possible in the province Saturday night and into the next day. That watch is due to yet another low-pressure system, CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe said.

P.E.I. is also under a winter storm watch, though significant snowfall for the Island is not expected until Sunday, the Environment Canada weather statement says.

Montreal digs out

At least 45 centimetres of snow fell on Montreal on Thursday, breaking a record that had stood since 1969.

Roughly 3,000 city workers have the task of clearing the massive amount of snow, but Montrealers will have to be patient as the white stuff is removed.

City engineer Michel Frenette said Friday morning it would likely take seven days before the cleanup from the record-setting snowstorm is complete.

Both city workers and private contractors are working to clear the snow in the coming days, with a planned break likely to take place on Jan.1, he said. Bus lanes and multi-lane roads are the priority, Frenette added.

At Montreal's Trudeau airport, where more than 200 flights were cancelled at the height of the storm, travellers scrambled to find other arrangements. On Friday morning, there were significant lines at check-in counters, while at least 30 more flights were cancelled and scores more delayed.

Travellers faced delays Friday at Montreal-Trudeau airport following Thursday's record-breaking storm. (Shaun Malley/CBC)

Some weather warnings are still in place in Quebec, including storm surge warnings for the Rimouski area, and blowing snow warnings for the Gaspé, Anticosti Island and portions of the Lower North Shore on the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Also Friday morning, roughly 1,300 Hydro-Québec customers were still without electricity in the Laurentians and Outaouais regions of Quebec. Most of these customers have been without power since Thursday, when high winds knocked down branches and trees, taking down power lines. Hydro-Québec expects to restore power to all 1,300 customers by the end of Friday.

The weather also affected mail delivery. Canada Post said on Friday in a post on Twitter that mail delays are expected, and weekend deliveries are being planned.

In New Brunswick, winter storm warnings, along with some freezing rain warnings that had been in place for southern portions of the province, were all lifted shortly after 10:30 a.m. AT.

Through Friday morning, Gagetown, N.B., received 38 centimetres of snow, while Bathurst got 20 centimetres.

In Ontario, the same system dumped 40 to 50 centimetres on the Cornwall area, 30 centimetres in Kingston, and 19 centimetres in Ottawa, which saw its second big snowfall in a week.

For more information, check your local CBC website:

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Woman brought back to life after bizarre drive-thru accident

A Vancouver Island woman who was brought back to life after a bizarre accident at a McDonald's drive-thru last month is thankful to those who saved her life.

The accident occurred when Lee-Ann Sami pulled up to the window to pay for her meal at a McDonalds in Courtenay, B.C., on Nov. 11.

The 34-year-old mother of four dropped some of her money on the ground and as she opened her van door to pick it up, her foot slipped off the brake pedal and the vehicle lurched forward, pinning Sami's body and head against the restaurant's outside wall.

Sami was knocked unconscious — she was not breathing and had no pulse. It was 12 minutes before firefighters arrived and were able to free her.

'To see her walk in here is amazing. It's a huge relief.'—Courtenay Fire Department Lt. Ed Harrison

From the beginning her chances of surviving seemed slim, but the firefighters who were first on the scene didn't give up on her, performing CPR in the ambulance enroute to the hospital.

"Right away when they got to me I was without vitals and I was without for 20 minutes," Sami told CHEK News.

"I don't know what the recommendation is for how long to do CPR, but I know 20 minutes is a long time and I'm just very grateful that they didn't give up."

She was revived at the hospital and she was eventually airlifted to a hospital in Victoria where she underwent a miraculous recovery.

Six weeks later Sami can't remember the accident, but said she knows she wouldn't be alive today without the first responders.

So on Friday she dropped by the Courtenay Fire Hall to thank the men who she credits for saving her life.

"It feels incredible and emotional, I'm just really grateful," she told the firefighters.

Lt. Ed Harrison said everyone at the station was amazed by her recovery.

"To see her walk in here is amazing. It's a huge relief. My heart goes out to her family. It's good. It's what we do," said Harrison.

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Chief Theresa Spence pledges to continue hunger strike

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence said she will continue to press on with her hunger strike until Prime Minister Stephen Harper agrees to meet with her and other First Nations leaders to discuss the issue of aboriginal treaties.

CBC's senior correspondent Terry Milewski interviewed Spence, who is entering her third week of the hunger strike.

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Canadians lack trust in some scientists, poll suggests

A significant number of Canadians have trust issues with researchers in certain areas of science, including climate change, a new poll suggests.

An online survey of 1,000 people conducted by Nanos Research and released to CBC News asked respondents how much they trusted scientists quoted in the news on four scientific topics.

When it came to new energy technologies and medicines, a sizable majority of those surveyed said they trusted or somewhat trusted scientists. But respondents were less certain when it came to climate change and genetically modified crops.

The poll, conducted on Dec. 3 and 4, found that trust was highest on the issue of new energies (78 per cent trusted or somewhat trusted scientists) and that 71 per cent felt the same on the issue of medicines.

While nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) trusted or somewhat trusted scientists on the issue of climate change, a sizable number, nearly one-third (28 per cent), said they somewhat distrusted or distrusted researchers on that issue.

However, Canadians seemed to mistrust scientists the most on the issue of genetically modified crops, with nearly half (45 per cent) saying they trust researchers but 44 per cent saying they don't.

Government-sponsored scientists questioned

The survey also found that 42 per cent of Canadians believe that government-employed scientists should speak out on political issues that touch their area of expertise, while 32 per cent said they should stay out of politics. (Sixteen per cent were unsure.)

Gordon McBean, chair of the Canadian Climate Forum, and Andrew Weaver, a Canada research chair at the School of Earth and Ocean Science at the University of Victoria, said they're concerned about the role of government-sponsored scientists when it comes to climate change.

They said those scientists need the freedom to voice their findings, even if their research runs counter to current government policy. The Conservative government has been accused of muzzling scientists.

Weaver also expressed some frustration over the results of the survey in respect to those who still don't trust scientists when it comes to climate change research.

"The basic physics is as certain as you can get. The physics of global warming is basically the same as gravity, it's just basic physics," he said.

Some info confusing to consumers

McBean accused oil, coal and other special interest groups of having confused people with false information, while scientists have done a poor job fighting back.

"We need to have that kind of information better conveyed to Canadians so they make better informed decisions. I think Canadians are unfortunately not receiving the information they need on a whole range of issues."

Other findings of the poll included:

• One in two want spending on basic scientific research kept at the same levels.
• Research into medicines seen as the highest priority, research into genetically modified crops the lowest.
• Nearly half of Canadians believe research into climate change is a high priority.

The online survey was not assigned a margin of error because respondents were not randomly sampled.

The results were weighted using the latest Statistics Canada data to be representative of the opinions of Canadians, Nikita James Nanos, president and CEO of Nanos Research, said in an email.

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Record-breaking storm moves east from Montreal

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The winter storm that dumped a record-breaking amount of snow on Montreal is taking aim at Newfoundland, with Environment Canada saying northern and central parts of the province can expect 20 to 30 centimetres.

"Heavy snow and strong easterly winds over southwestern Newfoundland this morning will spread northeastward today," Environment Canada said.

The low-pressure system producing the storm is expected to move from southern Nova Scotia to near Cape Breton by Friday evening. The system will then track across eastern Newfoundland at night before moving to the northeast of the province on Saturday.

Strong easterly winds will accompany the system, with gusts reaching 100 km/h along Newfoundland's south and west coasts, and gusts to 150 km/h in the Wreckhouse area.

Eastern Newfoundland can expect snow turning to mixed precipitation, and then rain.

Montreal digs out

At least 45 centimetres of snow fell on Montreal on Thursday, breaking a record on Thursday that had stood since 1969.

Roughly 3,000 city workers have the task of clearing the massive amount of snow, but Montrealers will have to be patient as the white stuff is removed.

City spokesman Jacques-Alain Lavallée said Thursday that it usually takes Montreal's snow removal fleet four days to remove 20 centimetres.

At Montreal-Trudeau airport on Friday, there were reports of numerous flight delays and long lines of travellers. There were 225 cancelled flights on Thursday.

Travellers faced delays Friday at Montreal-Trudeau airport following Thursday's record-breaking storm. (Shaun Malley/CBC)

Some weather warnings are still in place in Quebec, including storm surge warnings for the Rimouski area, plus blowing snow warnings for the Gaspe, Anticosti Island and portions of the Lower North Shore on the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

In New Brunswick, winter storm warnings, along with some freezing rain warnings that had been in place for southern portions of the province, were all lifted shortly after 10:30 a.m. AT.

Through Friday morning, Gagetown, N.B., received 38 centimetres of snow, while Bathurst got 20 cm.

In Ontario, the same system dumped 40 to 50 centimetres on the Cornwall area, 30 centimetres in Kingston, and 19 centimetres in Ottawa, which saw its second big snowfall in a week.

For more information, check your local CBC website:

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Store video cameras failing to comply with privacy laws

Most retailers in Canada are failing to follow new federal rules when it comes to operating video surveillance cameras in their stores and businesses, according to a study by a professor of information studies at the University of Toronto.

Andrew Clement, co-founder of the Identity, Privacy and Security Institute, found that not a single video camera in one of Canada's largest malls complied with the signage requirements of the federal Personal Information, Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

'If we lose control over our personal images, then it's hard to maintain control over other kinds of information.'—Andrew Clement, professor of information studies

Clement and his graduate students collected information on video cameras set up in two Toronto area malls, the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto and Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga. Of the hundreds of cameras on the properties, the students found only about 30 per cent had any kind of sign alerting people to their use and none met even the minimum standards required under the law.

Andrew Clement, co-founder of the Identity, Privacy and Security Institute, found that not a single video camera in one of Canada's largest malls complied with federal signage requirements.

"The findings of this study raise disturbing implications, as both video surveillance penetration and capabilities are expanding rapidly without appropriate understanding, transparency, oversight or accountability," the authors of the study wrote.

Under the law, stores are required to post signs outside their entrances that alert customers to the use of video surveillance, its purpose and a contact number so people can find out how they can obtain a copy of any footage that contains their image.

"I was surprised that in our study we didn't find a single one and it shocks me a bit," Clement told CBC News. "There is a resistance on the part of these private sector operators to entertain the idea that they have any obligations."

Clement and his students have now set up a website advising people of their rights when it comes to video surveillance at surveillancerights.ca. And they are doing further work with funding from the office of the federal privacy commissioner. The group has even developed a free app to download that allows people to document and record each time they encounter a surveillance camera.

Nathalie Desrosiers, general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, called Clement's findings surprising. She said while many people have come to accept video surveillance as part of everyday life, people also expect to have their privacy rights respected.

Nathalie Desrosiers of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association says many people have come to accept video surveillance as part of everyday life. (Maureen Brosnahan/CBC)

People have a right to choose if they want to enter a store and then have their image recorded, she said, but if they don't know they are being recorded, they can't make that choice.

"It's a question of not depriving people of the opportunity to make a decision themselves about what they want to share and what they do not want to share and that's a fundamental aspect of human dignity."

Desrosiers says this also raises concerns about how the recorded information is being used, and whether the technology is being mined for other reasons, such as targeted marketing or law enforcement.

Chantal Bernier, Canada's assistant privacy commissioner, told CBC News her office receives very few complaints about video cameras used by businesses.

"People don't know … that they are under video surveillance," she said. "If they knew how much surveillance went on, they would certainly object."

While video surveillance cameras have become almost commonplace, Bernier says their effectiveness in terms of reducing theft is questionable.

"Statistics on preventive video surveillance shows that it's practically non-existent. Even in relation to criminal investigations its effect is quite limited," she said. "So the case for video surveillance in relation to security still has to be made."

But Bernier admits her office has little clout when it comes to making companies comply with the law. "The only power we really have is the power to name," she said. "We use it only as prescribed by law and when it is in the public interest to name."

Last year, in her annual report, Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart did single out Sobeys, a major Canadian grocery chain, for failing to follow the law. The case involved a customer who slipped and fell in the store. She was not aware that the whole incident had been taped and when she found out later, Sobeys initially refused to provide her with a copy of the recording.

"Our enforcement powers have been terribly limited," Bernier said, adding all her office can do for now is try to raise awareness among both the Canadian public and private sector businesses. "We need to add enforcement powers."

Clement agrees.

"We regulate elevators and all kinds of things. I think video surveillance should be brought under a similar regime," he said. "If we lose control over our personal images, then it's hard to maintain control over other kinds of information."

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Hitchhiker leaps to safety from moving van

A hitchhiker says she jumped out of a moving van on Christmas Eve as it slowed to cross a bridge in B.C. when the man who picked her up made her uncomfortable, and now police in New Hazelton are looking for the driver.

New Hazelton, B.C.

Police said Thursday evening that a red minivan picked the woman up in the Kispiox area at around 12:30 p.m. PT on Monday.

After talking to the driver for a few minutes, the woman became uncomfortable and asked the driver to pull over.

When he refused, she jumped out an open window in the van as it slowed down to cross a bridge.

The van was last seen on Highway 62 driving towards Highway 16.

The driver is described as:

• A white man.
• Between 40 and 50 years old.
• Grey hair.
• Wearing a jean jacket and dark brown glasses.

Anyone with information is asked to call the RCMP in New Hazleton or Crime Stoppers.

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Newtown student's mom pays heartwrenching tribute to daughter

Ana Marquez-Green, 6, right, singing at the brother with her brother Isaiah, 9. Ana died in the shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., in mid-December. (Facebook)A former Winnipeg resident whose six-year-old was among 20 children killed in the Newtown, Conn., massacre says in a Facebook post that she remembers hugging her daughter before she boarded a school bus wearing a purple T-shirt emblazoned with a peace sign the morning of the shooting, and that her Christmas wish is to "live in a better America."

Nelba Marquez-Greene's Facebook post under the headline "From a grieving mother on Christmas Day" says she remembers giving Ana, who had beautiful caramel skin and a shock of curly brown hair, two hugs before she got on the school bus on Dec. 14, the day a 20-year-old broke into Sandy Hook Elementary School and opened fire, killing 20 students and six staff members.

Marquez-Greene said no lockdown procedure in the world could have stopped someone with the kind of gunpower and ammunition carried by the shooter.

"I have a Christmas wish," she wrote. "I want to live in a better America — one where our leaders are working collaboratively for the good of the people and the protection of children. Please! No more! Ya basta!."

Marquez-Greene then pays tribute to her daughter.

"Sweet Ana, I know our healing as a family will come only from our heavenly Father. I know this is your best Christmas yet — at home with our Lord and Saviour. As your mom I just wish we could have had a few more to celebrate here on earth. You died so needlessly.

"For Christmas I bought you a Kindle Fire HD the night before you died. My Christmas promise to you now is to continue to love the Lord with all my heart, mind and strength and to do whatever I can to make sure more kids can be safe ... and to send out the message that "love wins". I still sleep with your special blanket, most nights in your bed."

Marguez-Greene then offers some advice to people reading her post. "Hug your loved ones tight! Joyous Christmas Season and a Blessed New Year to all!"

The girl and her family had only recently moved back to Connecticut after living in Winnipeg for three years.

Her father, Jimmy Greene, is a musician and professor who is well known in Winnipeg's jazz community.

Hundreds of people came together in Winnipeg last Saturday at Grant Memorial Baptist Church to mourn Ana's loss by watching her funeral on a video feed from Connecticut.

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3 workers hit by train near Edmonton

Two men are in critical condition and another is in hospital with undisclosed injuries after they were hit by a train while clearing snow from a set of tracks in a railyard east of Edmonton.

Fire Rescue says emergency workers were called to the scene near Hayter Road and Meridian Street just outside the city's eastern boundary after 9 a.m. MT Wednesday.

A spokesperson for CN Rail told CBC News that the three were contract workers for A&B Rail Services Ltd, who were doing regular maintenance. The three men were using snowblowers to clean the tracks when an eastbound train approached them travelling approximately 40 km/h.

The train blew its horn as a warning but the workers were wearing ear protection and did not seem to notice, Edmonton police said.

One of the men was taken to Royal Alexandra Hospital, while the other two are at the University of Alberta Hospital.

Four separate investigations by the federal and provincial governments, as well as CN Rail and A&B, are looking into the incident.

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Mild earthquake rattles B.C. south coast

Parts of B.C.'s south coast experienced a mild earthquake just after 10:30 p.m PT on Wednesday.

The quake was centred just east of Sidney, in the area of Haro Strait and the Juan de Fuca Strait, off Vancouver Island.

Residents across the Capital Regional District and Metro Vancouver reported feeling it.

Natural Resources Canada collected "felt" reports from as far away as Sooke, to the west, Abbotsford, to the east, and Sechelt, to the north.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the temblor occurred had a local magnitude of 3.9, while Earthquakes Canada said the magnitude was 3.3.

There have been no reports of damage or injuries.

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Mom-mentum hits House of Commons with pregnant MPs

There's a lot to worry about when new parents go back to work — like budgeting, child care and getting enough sleep — but most don't have to think about balancing breastfeeding with round-the-clock votes on the federal budget.

For Rosane Doré Lefebvre, however, that's one more thing to worry about.

Doré Lefebvre, 27, is pregnant with her first child. The New Democrat MP is due in mid-April — right around the time she and her colleagues are likely to be studying and voting on the federal budget.

She won't be the first MP to give birth since the May 2, 2011, federal election: her caucus colleague Sana Hassainia had a baby boy 13 months ago and is pregnant with her second child.

It's clear the current crop of MPs is younger than usual. The NDP caucus is responsible for much of that: while there are young MPs in all caucuses (Conservative MPs Michelle Rempel, 32, and Pierre Poilievre and Andrew Scheer, both 33, come to mind), one-fifth of the 101 New Democrats are under 35. It's possible Canadians could see more offspring out of this group of parliamentarians before the next election in 2015.

No parental leave

Because MPs don't pay into Employment Insurance, for them there's no such thing as parental leave. There's also no House of Commons policy dealing with it. Members can see deductions from their $157,731 annual salaries if they're absent from the House for 21 days, unless they're ill, serving in the military or on official public business. It's not clear whether taking time off after giving birth is covered under the illness exemption, particularly if the MP is still in touch with her office staff and dealing with files remotely.

Otherwise, members work out time away with their party whips and leaders. The benefit to running their own offices, however, is that they have far more control over their schedules than most Canadians.

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt says the biggest problem MPs deal with is the distance. Raitt has two sons, 11-year-old JC and eight-year-old Billy.

"The one positive thing about this job is you do have some control over your schedule," she said following one son's Christmas pageant dress rehearsal.

"You're able to juggle things around. But there are certain things that you have to do. You have to sit in the House of Commons and you have to vote, and those things take priority over anything else that's happening in your house."

Doré Lefebvre says she isn't sure yet what to expect with her first child, so hasn't decided yet how many "days off or weeks off" she may need to be able to return to Ottawa from her Montreal-area riding of Alfred-Pellan.

"What we're thinking is that I'm going to take the time that I need to be comfortable and to be able to travel with a newborn. But it's easy [to go back and forth], it's only a two-hour drive from Ottawa," she said.

Doré Lefebvre's partner is going to take on full-time parenting duties after she gives birth. Once the summer break hits at the end of June, the couple will have a slightly easier schedule of constituency events rather than working around Doré Lefebvre's House duties.

Balancing House duties and breastfeeding

Hassainia says when she came back to work weeks after giving birth, then-interim NDP leader Nycole Turmel and whip Chris Charlton helped arrange her schedule to make it a little easier.

"When we're going back to work two months after giving birth, it isn't easy. For sure we're capable but usually it's very, very hard. And spending a lot of time with the baby, it's a need, not just a whim," she said.

Hassainia recalls being too shy to breastfeed in the lobby for opposition MPs adjoining the House of Commons, but her office was too far away to make it an option.

Instead, the sergeant-at-arms, who is in charge of security in the House, let her use his office just off the back of the Commons, giving her some private time with son Skander-Jack.

"It was very, very kind and very appreciated," said Hassainia, whose partner is their son's primary caregiver.

Hassainia and Skander-Jack drew attention to the issue last winter when she brought him into the House before a vote. Scheer, who is the House Speaker and has four children under eight years old, asked one of the pages to take the baby into the lobby because other MPs were crowding around and taking photos. It's against House of Commons rules to cause a disruption in the chamber.

Scheer later said it's fine to bring babies into the House chamber so long as there's no disruption and asked for advance warning when possible if MPs need to bring in their babies.

While it's still unusual to see babies in the House of Commons, Hassainia wasn't the first. In 1987, Sheila Copps became the first sitting MP to give birth. In 1998, New Democrat Michelle Dockrill brought her seven-week-old baby, Kenzie James, into the Commons as she voted during proceedings. Last year, Bloc MP Maria Mourani said she was told when she had a child that she couldn't bring the baby into the chamber.

Former speaker Jeanne Sauvé, who presided over the House of Commons from 1980 to 1984, was behind the Children on the Hill daycare that serves MPs, staff and journalists.

With files from The Canadian Press

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Snowstorm from U.S. blasts Eastern Canada

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Snowplows clear snow on Highway 401 at Avenue Road in Toronto early Thursday due to the first heavy snowfall of the season in Ontario and Quebec. ((Tony Smyth/CBC))

A major winter storm that had its beginnings in the U.S. South and has been linked to several deaths blew into Eastern Canada overnight, prompting storm warnings and flight cancellations.

Environment Canada had winter storm warnings posted for portions of eastern Ontario and southern Quebec along the St. Lawrence River. Warnings that had been in place for areas stretching from Picton to Kingston and Brockville were lifted shortly after 9:30 a.m. ET.

The storm was expected to dump 15 to 20 centimetres of snow in areas of eastern Ontario along the St. Lawrence River.

The areas of Smiths Falls, Ottawa, Prescott and Russell, and Gatineau were all under a snowfall warning, with Environment Canada predicting 15 cm Thursday.

CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland said the highest snowfall totals are expected south and east of the St. Lawrence, with Environment Canada saying there could be up to 45 centimetres in portions of southern Quebec.

Warnings also covered all of New Brunswick and western Prince Edward Island. Parts of Nova Scotia are under a winter storm watch, and there's a rainfall warning for southern portions of the province.

The storm is expected to move to Newfoundland and Labrador with strong winds beginning Thursday night and peaking on Friday. Snowfall totals for the inland portions of the south and west coasts are expected to top 10 centimetres by Saturday morning, with 15 centimetres of accumulation by the end of Saturday for central and northeastern Newfoundland.

Travel troubles

Roads throughout the Toronto region, where about 10 centimetres were on the ground, as well as the Montreal area were mostly snow covered.

Ontario Provincial Police reported dozens of accidents on highways in the Greater Toronto Area.

CBC Montreal weather specialist Sabrina Maradola reported reduced visibility and slick conditions on the city's streets with cars getting stuck in the snow or veering off roads.

"If you don't have to go out, if you are on holiday, take advantage and do stay home today," she said. "It's not the best day to be on the roads."

At Canada's busiest airport, Pearson in suburban Toronto, 28 arriving flights and 46 departures were cancelled by 8:39 a.m. Thursday, while many more flights were delayed. There were also cancellations reported at Trudeau airport in Montreal.

The storm system originated in the U.S. earlier this week, in parts of the southern and central U.S, where it has been blamed on the deaths of at least 12 people.

Thousands of homes are without power as states report record amounts of snowfall.

National Weather Service spokesman David Roth said the U.S. Northeast's heaviest snowfall would be in northern Pennsylvania, upstate New York and inland sections of several New England states before the storm ends Friday morning.

More than 30 tornadoes were reported, arriving with little warning on Christmas Day in the Gulf Coast region.

For more information on local storm conditions, please check your CBC local website:

With files from The Associated Press

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Aboriginal affairs minister worried about Attawapiskat chief

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan expressed concern for the health of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, who has been on a hunger strike since Dec. 11 to bring attention to aboriginal issues.

In a letter released Tuesday, Duncan urged Spence to end her hunger strike and said his office has made attempts to set up a meeting with her but received no response.

"It is unfortunate that you are unwilling to speak with me about the issues you have raised publicly," his letter says.

"I remain concerned about your health and hope that you will accept my offer to speak about how we might move forward with improving the treaty relationship."

Protesters block CN Rail line

Meanwhile, scores of First Nations protesters in Sarnia, Ont., say their demonstration will continue until Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with Spence.

Ron Plain of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation says donations such as blankets and food are coming in from within the province and as far away as California as word of the demonstration spreads through social media.

'The resolve of the community seems to be deepening.'—Ron Plain, Aamjiwnaang First Nation

Plain says organizers have yet to decide whether to challenge a court injunction granting police the power to end the protest. Sarnia police have said they won't move to stop the blockade unless there is a safety risk.

Plain says there is an "air of excitement" at the Sarnia blockade, with Aamjiwnaang youth — who started the protest Friday as part of the national Idle No More movement — building snowmen along the tracks.

"The resolve of the community seems to be deepening," Plain said, adding the demonstration is "turning into a community event as opposed to a blockade."

The protests are part of the national Idle No More movement against the government's legislation.

Plain said a representative for the rail company spoke with organizers Monday, but the talks were not fruitful.

He said the First Nation is unwavering in its stance that the tracks were not laid legitimately.

"Our view is a very solid view in that the tracks are not permitted on that road. There was never any kind of permit issued for those tracks to cross there."

Spence started her hunger strike on Dec. 11, and has been living in a teepee on an island in the Ottawa River that many aboriginals consider to be sacred land.

She is seeking a meeting with Harper, the governor general and First Nations leaders to discuss the treaty relationship.

Senator Brazeau also rebuffed

On Monday, Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau, who is Algonquin, was rebuffed in an attempt to meet with her.

Last week, Brazeau told the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network he didn't think Spence was setting a good example for aboriginal youth.

Brazeau posted an account on Twitter of his efforts to meet Spence on Monday, saying he was first told she needed time to prepare to see him but then that she wouldn't see him at all.

"Not sure if Chief Spence's advisors made the recommendation not to meet but regardless, I respect her decision," Brazeau wrote.

With files from The Canadian Press

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$12M Edmonton blaze prompts arson probe

Arson investigators are at the scene of a major fire in Edmonton that destroyed eight businesses overnight and caused an estimated $12 million in damage.

District Fire Chief Lorne Corbett says the blaze started in a Bonanza restaurant in a strip mall on 125th Street and 137th Avenue around 1:30 a.m. MT Tuesday after a pickup truck was driven into the front of the restaurant. It's unclear what happened to the driver.

The fire spread quickly from the restaurant to neighbouring businesses.

A firefighter who was taken to hospital with a back injury has been treated and released.

Eighty firefighters fought the blaze in temperatures dipping to –23 C. Because of the extreme cold, firefighters had to use steam units to keep water flowing through hoses and hydrants.

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Canada crushes Germany to open junior hockey tournament

UFA, Russia — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and four assists to pace Canada to a 9-3 win over Germany to open the 2013 world junior hockey championship Wednesday.

His linemates Mark Scheifele scored twice, including a short-handed goal, and Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and two assists.

That line consists of players who would have played in the NHL this season if not for the lockout.

Nugent-Hopkins has already played a year for the Edmonton Oilers. Scheifele is a Winnipeg Jets prospect and Huberdeau is Florida Panthers property.

"It's something you hope for when you put a line together like that," Canadian head coach Steve Spott said. "All three of those players have NHL abilities. Tonight they looked real good and that's a positive for the hockey club."

Spott put the trio together for the first skate of selection camp Dec. 11, even though Scheifele is a natural centre now playing right wing.

Canada's other scorers were Ty Rattie, Ryan Strome, Jonathan Drouin and defencemen Xavier Ouellet and Tyler Wotherspoon.

Goaltender Malcolm Subban stopped 25 of 28 shots for the win. Spott indicated the Belleville Bulls netminder will be his starter for the tournament.

"Our plan is to run with Malcolm," the coach said.

Canada (1-0) faces Slovakia on Friday, the United States on Sunday and concludes Pool B play New Year's Eve against host Russia. The host country was to take on the Slovaks in Wednesday's later Pool B game.

Finland opened Pool A action with a 5-1 victory over Latvia with Sweden and the Czech Republic meeting in the late game.

Leonhard Pfoderl countered with a goal and an assist for the Germans. Tobias Rieder plays for the Ontario Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers, which Spott coaches. Rieder and Nickolas Latta also scored for Germany.

Elmar Trautmann made 37 saves on 46 shots in Germany's net.

Germany earned promotion to the top-tier world junior tournament by winning the Division 1 tournament last year. Their goal is to stay in the main tournament for 2014 and not get relegated again, says Rieder.

"It was pretty special playing against Steve Spott, Canada's coach," the Oilers prospect said. "It was pretty nice to score against Team Canada.

"I think we played really well the first period, but the second and third period, you just saw that Team Canada is a better hockey team."

Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads was added to Canada's tournament roster just prior to the game.

The 17-year-old had been left off it when lineups were submitted Christmas Day because of a charleyhorse he'd suffered in practice. Spott wanted to leave a spot open on the roster just in case a replacement player was needed.

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Thousands still without power in Quebec

Hydro-Québec employees are still trying to restore power to thousands of customers in regions north and west of Montreal.

As of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the company said an approximate 4,300 homes and businesses were still without power in the Laurentians, Outaouais and Lanaudière regions.

Last Friday's 50-centimetre snowfall cut power to about 130,000 customers.

More than 800 Hydro-Québec employees – some on snowmobiles and snowshoes – were working over Christmas Day to help fix power lines that feed individiual homes. Work on the primary network was mostly completed Tuesday.

Isabelle Nuckle, a spokeswoman for the public utility, said the work was taking longer than expected because many hydro poles need to be replaced.

With files from The Canadian Press

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Boxing Day shoppers lured by bargains

Canadians are heading out in search of Boxing Day bargains today, with some eager shoppers camping overnight outside stores to get the first chance at massive deals.

Retailers in most provinces offered deep discounts and extended shopping hours in an attempt to clear out unsold inventory after Christmas.

At Toronto's downtown Eaton Centre, thrifty customers began camping outside the H&M clothing store at 8 p.m. ET the night before, reported the CBC's Steven D'Souza.

'So many people were pushing... it was crazy.'—Boxing Day shopper at H&M

The retailer was handing out gift cards, as much as $25, and one customer told CBC News she showed up at 4 a.m. to ensure she got one. She said the wait was worth it, but "so many people were pushing and everything just to get the card, for money. It was crazy."

Shoppers started lining up outside the Best Buy consumer electronics store in downtown Toronto as early as 1 a.m., D'Souza reported.

"When the store opened up at 6 o'clock this morning, the lineup stretched an entire city block," he said.

It was a similar scene outside the Best Buy store in Winnipeg, where roughly 200 people braved frosty temperatures —including one person who waited nearly 12 hours, wrapped in blankets.

"No one is leisurely browsing the aisles here," reported the CBC's Ryan Hicks. "You're dodging people with carts and huge televisions as they try to get through the checkout and onto the next store."

Poll says majority of Canadians plan to shop

Many shoppers came prepared with flyers, coupons and a targeted plan to seek out their wares of choice, reported D'Souza.

"This morning I woke up knowing where I wanted to go," one customer told CBC News. "I knew the TV I wanted... Luckily, they still had it in stock. I got it. I'm feeling pretty good."

Other parts of the country, however, were exempt from the retail frenzy. In Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Maritimes, there is no legal shopping in malls and big-box stores. In Nova Scotia, however, drugstores and bookstores are allowed to open the day after Christmas.

In Quebec, under provincial labour laws, the shops aren't allowed to open until 1 p.m. on Dec. 26.

Still, 62 per cent of Canadians say they plan to shop on Boxing Day, according to a recent poll conducted by the Bank of Montreal.

Alberta, Atlantic Canada and Ontario may see a hefty turnout at the tills: 76 per cent, 72 per cent and 69 per cent of Canadians surveyed there, respectively, say they plan to shop today.

Quebecers, however, are less enthusiastic about bargain hunting, with just 36 per cent saying they intend to head to stores Wednesday, BMO said.

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How to fund the awesome things in life

Edward Ocampo-Gooding is used to innovation.

He works for Shopify, a Canadian startup success story with a futuristic workspace in downtown Ottawa. The tour of his office reveals lots of recreational space for reading, playing pinball or even having a beer.

"We had a graffiti artist come in from Montreal to do all the walls, and some of the murals are done by other Canadian artists," he says, showing off the recreation area that includes a stocked beer fridge, pinball machines and video games.

"There's a coffee bar, oh, and this is kind of cool — every quarter we shut down the company for a couple of days and everyone works on personal projects."

It's not surprising Ocampo-Gooding was drawn to become a fellow of the Awesome Foundation.

The foundation, according to its Web site, is dedicated to "forwarding the interest of awesomeness in the universe."

"I think it's the potential to have an effect on my local community while also supporting bizarre acts of whimsy that wouldn't happen otherwise," he says in explaining his attraction to the idea.

'Sometimes people are like, 'I would like to give the money back, the project didn't work out.' We say, 'No, it's yours. Figure out something great to do with it.''—Awesome Ottawa's Edward Ocampo-Gooding

Every month, Ocampo-Gooding and nine others in Ottawa pledge $100 of their own money.

Then, they get together and cut a $1,000 cheque for a project they like.

"If you build a giant tricycle that shoots fire, that sounds awesome ... and was actually a proposal in Portland," he says, rhyming off some of his recent favourites.

"If you write us saying you want to build animatronic giant teddy bears to put in daycares, that sounds awesome. If you want to host ginormous murder mystery party with hundreds of participants with pieces written for each one, we want to (help you) do that."

No strings attached

The Awesome Foundation was born in Boston in 2009, when a group of high-tech workers decided to donate their own money with no strings attached.

It's since grown into a global movement with more than 50 chapters worldwide, 14 of them in Canadian towns and cities.

Unlike a charity, there are no conditions, something even the recipients find a little weird.

"We really do mean no strings," says Ocampo-Gooding.

"Sometimes people are like, 'I would like to give the money back, the project didn't work out.' We say 'No, it's yours. Figure out something great to do with it.'"

Christopher Smeenk works at the Joint Attosecond Science Lab in Ottawa.

It's run by the National Research Council and the University of Ottawa as a place to study, among other things, the impact of lasers on atoms and molecules.

Thanks to an Awesome grant, the PhD student in physics has been spending his evenings and weekends here too, coaching a laser beam to play music.

A musical spark: awesome

He explains how the laser beam passes through two mirrors, creating enough energy to destroy air molecules and create something called plasma, which then generates sound and light.

"There's a curved mirror here," he says, pointing at a tiny mirror on a long table. "This will focus the beam down and create a very high-intensity region at the centre of the focus. Atoms and molecules in the air are ripped apart. When that happens it produces a sound you can hear."

A small spark like a star appears in the air beside one of the mirrors and sure enough, a high-pitched buzzing sound can be heard. At the same time, to the right of the star a mesmerizing red and orange image appears on a white screen.

This is what Smeenk set out to do — to make the music from the laser visible. He has also programmed a laptop computer to "play" the laser. He switches it on and a tinny version of "Amazing Grace" emanates from the plasma star.

It can be hard to find support for this kind of esoteric research. But Smeenk hopes the Awesome Foundation grant will help jumpstart interest in future experiments.

"As a source of funding it's important. It's leverage so I can go to some other people and say, hey it's a project that already has funding."

Organic farming and dance parties: also awesome

Valerie Stam is also a fellow of the Awesome Ottawa chapter.

People take part in a 'Dance dance office revolution' on Sparks Street in Ottawa last summer, a project funded by an Awesome Ottawa grant. (Awesome Ottawa)

She rhymes off some of her favourite projects so far: an organic gardening program that allows seniors to grow their own food, a project that gives Karen refugees from Burma a chance to farm the land near Ottawa, and one of her favourites, a lunchtime dance party on the street in downtown Ottawa this August.

"On one level I think it's just getting us out of ordinary everyday experience," she said. "Dance dance office revolution ... that was an experience that takes people out of ordinary office day jobs and allows them to have something special."

The dance party was a huge success — in a city that's not known for getting down.

Unlike with traditional charties, the appeal of the Awesome Foundation is the knowledge that every dollar goes to the person with the idea.

Stam works in the non-profit sector and says she feels empowered when she has a say.

"I give to charity regularly anyway. But here I get more say in where my money goes. It's a way of giving money to projects that are worthy, but can't fit the not-for-profit mould."

In other words, it's not just cutting a cheque — it's committing the time to deciding who is awesome enough to deserve the money.

It's a different form of giving Stam hopes will catch on.

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$50M Lotto Max winner a Thornhill, Ont., grandma

It will be a very happy holiday indeed for a woman from Thornhill, Ont.

Susan Flam won the $50-million Lotto Max draw from Dec. 21.

The homemaker and fundraiser said she discovered she had won when she stopped into check her ticket as she bought some groceries.

Flam, in her 60s, said she is still shocked by the win.

"For me, this is the best pay it forward I could ask for," Flam said. "This is not going to change my life — it's what I can do for others that will make me happy."

Flam accepted her prize today, in the company of her husband and close friends, in Toronto at the OLG headquarters, where she was presented with her cheque.

The mother of two and grandmother of five had her winning ticket scanned at a supermarket in the town of Innisfil, near Barrie, Ont., over the weekend.

"We were heading up north for a holiday visit and stopped to get some supplies," she said. "We didn't expect anything like this to happen. When we discovered we had won $50 million, I couldn't breathe and my husband couldn't speak. It still hasn't sunk in."

Cashier Haileigh McDonald saw Flam scan her ticket at a self-check machine on Saturday. Minutes later the machine started indicating that a large prize had been won.

McDonald said the woman called her husband over, thinking she had won $50,000. He checked it again.

"He checked the ticket again, and I was like, 'That's $50 million dollars,' and she was like, 'No, no that can't be right,'" McDonald said. "I said, 'Count the zeroes, that's $50 million you just won.'"

Even though she is very excited and grateful, Flam says what is truly important is health and happiness.

"Money isn't important," she said. "This is a very wonderful gift we've been given, but I'm not an extravagant person. As long as I know everyone is well, that's what matters to me."

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