Canada's economy expands despite oil and gas slowdown

Canada's economy expanded for the fifth month in a row, as gross domestic product was 1.6 per cent higher in May than the same month a year ago.

Statistics Canada reported Wednesday that on a monthly basis, the GDP expanded by 0.2 per cent, just shy of expectations for 0.3 per cent.

Most sectors of the economy expanded, but the service sector led the way, expanding by 0.5 per cent. On the other side of the spectrum, Canada's goods-producing industries contracted by 0.3 per cent.

The resource sector was a particular source of weakness, shrinking by 1.7 per cent in the month.

That's the second straight month that sector has declined, as mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction shrank by 1.6 per cent in April.

"The drag came from mining/oil/gas, which subtracted one-tick from growth overall by dropping 1.7 per cent," CIBC said in a commentary. "

"June will be a wild card, as it will be swamped by the Calgary flood impacts," the bank's chief economist Avery Shenfeld noted.

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NDP wants tougher stance on Russia, but no Sochi boycott

The Opposition New Democrats are calling on the Canadian government to make clear its position on Russia's recent anti-gay laws, in light of growing calls by activists to boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

"I don't think [Foreign Affairs Minister John] Baird has been strong enough in his concern or been declarative enough of the government's position against the laws that have recently been passed in Russia," said Paul Dewar, the NDP's foreign affairs critic, in a telephone interview with CBC News on Tuesday.

"We haven't heard anything directly from Minister Baird," Dewar said.

Baird is on a seven-country visit of South America and was not available for an interview with CBC News.

In a written statement to CBC News, Rick Roth, Baird's press secretary, said "this latest development in Russia is extremely troubling and Canada has raised its concerns directly with Russian authorities."

"Canada follows the human rights situation in Russia closely and the promotion of Canadian values has and will continue to feature prominently in our ongoing dialogue," Roth said.

It is unclear whether Canada has raised its concerns since Russia passed another law in late June, making it illegal to spread "propaganda for non-traditional sexual relations" to minors, under threat of steep fines.

To boycott or not to boycott?

While the Official Opposition would like Baird to be more forthcoming about Canada's position, just as he has done in the past when speaking up against anti-gay laws in Uganda and Nigeria, it is not in favour of boycotting the Olympics at this time.

"Now is not the time for talk of boycott," Dewar told CBC News.

Dewar said the foreign affairs minister should make the Canadian government's position clear and then engage with Russia to make sure that everyone is safe.

CBC News asked Baird's office whether he would support a boycott of the Games, but his office said the decision did not rest with Baird.

"The decision whether or not to participate in the 2014 Sochi Olympics would rest with the Canadian Olympic Committee," Roth said in an email.

Minister of State for Sports Bal Gosal was also not available for an interview.

In a written statement to CBC News, Gosal said that it was important to note that "the Olympic and Paralympic Games are governed by a charter and are a competition between athletes in individual or team events, not between countries."

"National Olympic committees, such as the Canadian Olympic Committee, have exclusive authority over the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games," Gosal said.

Dimitri Soudas, the executive director of communications for the COC, was not available for an interview Tuesday.

His office sent a written statement attributable to Soudas saying that "playing sports is a human right" and that "we oppose discrimination of any kind."

"The International Olympic Committee has stated it continues to work to ensure that the Games can take place without discrimination against athletes, officials, spectators and the media and it has received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games," the statement said.

The safety of Olympians

A spokesman for the RCMP said that part of its role with respect to security at the 2014 Winter Olympics will be to hold "a security briefing with athletes and team members on security precautions."

"In its security briefing, the RCMP will flag safety and security issues … the Sochi security briefing will include a briefing on the recently signed law giving authorities the rights to detain tourists and foreign nationals suspected of being homosexual or pro gay," Cpl. Laurence Trottier told CBC News in a written statement.

The RCMP will also brief athletes on other safety and security issues, including:

• Maintaining a high level of personal security awareness at all times and in all places.
• Wearing proper accreditation at all times while inside the athletes village and venues.
• Co-operating with local authorities and exercising caution in crowded areas.
• Ensuring personal belongings, including passports and other travel documents, are secure at all times.

In an interview with CBC Radio's The Current on Tuesday, Blake Skjellerup, a speed skater from New Zealand and one of a few openly gay Olympic athletes, said he does not support a call to boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics, but he has some reservations about Russia's anti-gay laws.

Skjellerup said the IOC has told athletes they will be exempt from this new law, but "I don't know exactly how that's going to work."

"I foretrust in the IOC that my security is going to be granted … but in terms of leaving the [Olympic] village, if that is going to happen, you never know."

Skjellerup also expressed concern about wearing a gay-pride pin that the IOC approved in a previous Olympics.

"I would like to think that because the IOC approved it in a previous Olympic, it's not something that is going to get me into trouble whether I'm in or out of the village during Sochi," Skjellerup said.

Canada-Russia relations

There has been a recent series of diplomatic ripples in Canada's relationship with Russia

In mid-June, during the G8 summit in Northern Ireland, Prime Minister Stephen Harper found himself at odds with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia's support for the Syrian regime.

Months earlier, Baird denounced Russia's decision to join China in vetoing a Western-backed UN resolution threatening non-military sanctions against Syria.

Last year, Canada expelled several Russian diplomats amid spying allegations.

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Bittersweet 50th anniversary for Canada's Sea King helicopters

Canadian Armed Forces pilots have been flying Sea King helicopters for 50 years, with the anniversary celebrations taking place today and tomorrow.

That these aging beasts are still flying at all is testament to both the talents of those who have been operating and maintaining the old aircraft, and to the failings of a series of governments that have been unable to replace the tired, often grounded Sea Kings since at least 1986.

The Department of National Defense was supposed to start receiving the first replacement Cyclone helicopters from Sikorsky Aircraft in 2008 but it is still waiting. And those weren't even the first series of helicopters ordered as replacements.

A year ago, Defence Minister Peter MacKay called the government attempts to replace the Sea Kings "the worst procurement in the history of Canada."

At the time he seemed to be referring both to the former Liberal governments' stop-start attempts at acquiring helicopter replacements as well to his own government's frustrations at re-negotiating an appropriate contract with Sikorsky.

As for the aging Sea Kings, he added: "They're going to go right out of aviation service and into the museum in Ottawa, and that's not a joke."

A Sea King helicopter flies over Halifax harbour on July 30, the day before celebrations marking the Sea Kings' 50th anniversary begin in nearby Shearwater. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

Some of the aircraft still in operation have been refurbished almost piece by piece.

In June, then public works minister Rona Ambrose told CBC News about her disappointment with Sikorsky. "The bottom line is that they have not met their contractual obligation," she said.

Although there were problems, things went better with Sikorsky in the 1960s, when Canada acquired 41 Sea Kings between 1963 and 1969.

Over the years, accidents have claimed 14 of the original 41 aircraft and the lives of eight aircrew as the Sea King played a key role in military and humanitarian operations.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary

The Sea King community that is gathering today in Shearwater, N.S. to celebrate the 50th anniversary includes John Orr, a retired Sea King pilot and the author of a just-published history, Perseverance: the Canadian Sea King Story.

Orr recounts how the Sea Kings were acquired during the Cold War for anti-submarine operations, and quickly made Canada a leader in deploying helicopters from destroyers and frigates.

The successes of the Canadian Sea King operation, Orr told CBC News, "are attributable principally to the quality and dedication of our personnel. Both on the flight line and the flight deck, they have persevered despite all the adversity that they have faced."

A Sea King helicopter is moved to the Shearwater Aviation Museum on July 29. The museum is helping to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sea Kings, which first arrived at the Shearwater base on August 1, 1963. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

With no date set for the arrival of the first fully capable Cyclone, or the retirement of the last Sea King, there may be more anniversary celebrations ahead, assuming they can stay in the air.

The entire remaining fleet was grounded for four days earlier this month when a Sea King tipped over on landing at CFB Shearwater and smashed its five rotor blades on the tarmac.

This week, there was word from Sikorsky's parent company that flight testing of the Cyclones would begin in August at Shearwater. That would happen on four 'interim' Cyclones that Sikorsky has delivered but DND refuses to accept.

Here's a chronology of the Sea Kings' first five decades and some key moments in the efforts to replace them. Col. Orr and his book were invaluable sources for this timeline.

---

Sept. 26, 1962: Canada's Treasury Board authorizes $24 million for the purchase of eight Sea King helicopters and a flight simulator. More authorizations would follow.

Nov. 20, 1962: Douglas Harkness, minister of national defence, announces the Royal Canadian Navy's purchase of Sea Kings from Sikorsky Aircraft.

May 24, 1963: RCN Lt.-Commanders Shel Rowell and Ted Fallen accept Canada's first Sea King at the Sikorsky plant in Stratford, Conn., where the first four Canadian Sea Kings were built. The other 37 were assembled at United Aircraft of Canada Ltd. (now Pratt & Whitney Canada) in Longueuil, Que.

Aug. 1, 1963: The first Sea Kings, 4001 and 4002, arrive at the naval air station in Shearwater, N.S.

Nov. 27, 1963: The first Sea King deck landing takes place onboard the destroyer HMCS Assiniboine. It is also the first trial using what's now known as the beartrap, which uses a haul-down winch, a Canadian innovation. "Canada literally wrote the book on the techniques and procedures for these operations, and these have been adopted by navies and coast guards around the world," Orr says.

The first Sea King assembled in Canada, CHSS-2 4005, was accepted from United Aircraft of Canada Ltd. on Aug. 27, 1964. (Courtesy Pratt and Whitney Canada)

Aug. 27, 1964: The first Sea King (4005) assembled in Canada is accepted from United Aircraft of Canada Ltd.

Jan. 13, 1965: Six Sea Kings embark on HMCS Bonaventure for their first operational deployment, heading for warmer waters off Puerto Rico.

March 22, 1967: Crewman Ron Greenbury disappears from a Sea King flying over water near Shearwater. Greenbury said he was going to investigate a fuel leak in the rear cabin but he was never seen again and no trace was ever found.

Nov. 30, 1967: Claire Tully and Douglas Mander are killed when Sea King 4002 crashes at sea off HMCS Bonaventure. The two pilots were ejected on impact and survived. It was the first of 14 accidents to claim a Sea King.

Feb. 1, 1968: The Canadian Armed Forces are amalgamated. HMCS Shearwater becomes Canadian Forces Base Shearwater, the Sea Kings' designation changes from CHSS-2 to CH-124.

May 3, 1969: The final Sea King (4041) is delivered to Shearwater.

A Sea King helicopter hovers over ships on anti-submarine patrol, June 17, 1976. (DND/Canadian Press)

Nov. 7, 1971: After taking off from HMCS Nipigon during an exercise in the North Atlantic, Sea King 1420 experiences a failure in one engine and crashes into the water. The three crew members were killed and the cause of the crash was never determined.

1974: The Sea King Improvement Program begins and runs until 1979. This was a major upgrade of the aircraft, including new engines, transmission and radar.

Nov. 26, 1981: A Sea King rescues 13 sailors in stormy conditions from the oil tanker Euro Princess after it ran aground off Sable Island.

June 11, 1982: Two Sea Kings from HMCS Protecteur take part in the nighttime rescue of the crew of a Norwegian chemical tanker that had abandoned ship because of a raging fire.

August 1982: The Sea King fleet is grounded because of the discovery of a problem in the transmission. Deployments are cancelled for the rest of 1982.

April 26, 1986: DND authorizes a "solicitation of interest" for new shipborne aircraft to replace the Sea Kings.

An airman sports a humorous shoulder patch at CFB Shearwater in 2003. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

Nov. 4, 1987: A Sea King crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, about 30 nautical miles from Halifax. The four crew members are rescued without injuries.

July 10, 1989: 443 Squadron transfers to Patricia Bay, B.C. from Shearwater, taking four Sea Kings to support the West Coast fleet.

Aug. 10, 1990: Canada announces that three ships, with a total of five Sea Kings, will deploy to the Persian Gulf to enforce UN Sanctions against Iraq after it invaded Kuwait.

Aug. 13-24, 1990: Six Sea Kings quickly undergo major modifications in order to provide surface-surveillance capability in the Persian Gulf.

Orr calls it "the Sea King's finest hour." There were no flight or general safety incidents.

Feb. 1, 1991: Flying in Sea King 413 (nicknamed Lucky Louie) in the Persian Gulf, MCpl. Karin Lehmann fires tracer bullets across the bow of a dhow that was headed towards ammunition ships and had refused to heed orders to alter course. The dhow then reversed course in a hurry. It is perhaps the first time a shot was "fired in anger" from a Sea King.

Nov. 8, 1992: The Brian Mulroney government signs a $4.4 billion contract with European Helicopter Industries and Paramax to replace both the Sea King and Labrador Search and Rescue helicopters.

Nov. 16, 1992: HMCS Preserver, with three Sea Kings, departs for Somalia, returning on April 7 1993. Over the next two decades, Canada would deploy Sea Kings on many different military operations around the world, especially in the Persian Gulf area.

Nov. 4, 1993: Newly elected prime minister Jean Chretien cancels the New Shipborne Aircraft contract for EH-101 helicopters. During the campaign he had said, " "I'll take one piece of paper, I'll take my pen, I will write 'zero helicopters, Chretien., That will be it."

April 28, 1994: At the start of a cross-country transit, Sea King 12425 has an engine malfunction near St. John N.B., followed by an explosion and fire. Engulfed in smoke, the two pilots managed a survivable landing that saved two crew members. Pilots Wally Sweetman and Bob Henderson died.

March-April 1995: Sea Kings are deployed during the so-called Turbot War fishing dispute between Canada and the European Union.

April 25, 1997: Three Sea Kings deploy for flood relief in southern Manitoba.

Sept. 2, 1998: Swissair Flight 111 crashes in St. Margaret's Bay, N.S., killing all 229 people on board. Sea Kings participate in recovery operations.

March 23, 2000: Sea Kings rescue 13 crew members from the bulk carrier MV Leader L, which is sinking 370 nautical miles northeast of Bermuda.

Aug. 1, 2000: A Sea King deploys from HMCS Athabaskan in order to seize control of GTS Katie, a transport ship loaded with Canadian military equipment returning from Kosovo. The ship had refused to enter Canadian waters because of a dispute with a contractor.

Aug. 17, 2000: The federal government announces plans to spend over $3 billion on a new fleet of 28 military helicopters to replace the Sea Kings.

Oct. 7, 2001: Following the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S., Chretien announces Canada's participation in Operation Enduring Freedom, the war in Afghanistan, in which Sea Kings will be deployed onboard Canadian ships during what becomes a two-year operation.

Oct. 24, 2002: Five men are rescued by a Sea King helicopter after their 20-metre boat was destroyed by fire just south of Nova Scotia.

Feb. 27, 2003: A Sea King crashes onto the deck of HMCS Iroquois after becoming unstable. The four aircrew received only minor injuries. (See photo #14 in the gallery at the top of the page.)

Sea King pilots and crew listen to the announcement at a news conference at CFB Shearwater, near Halifax, on July 23, 2004, that the Cyclone, a military version of the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, will replace the Sea Kings. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

July 23, 2004: DND announces Sikorsky's H-92 Cyclone is the winner of the helicopter competition.

Nov 23, 2004: The government signs contracts with Sikorsky for 28 new CH-148 Cyclone helicopters for $1.8 billion, and for 20 years of maintenance and support for $3.2 billion, including construction of a training facility and a simulation and training suite.

Sept. 6, 2005: HMCS Athabaskan and Ville de Quebec and their Sea Kings deploy to the Gulf of Mexico in the relief effort following Hurricane Katrina.

Feb. 2, 2006: Sea King 12438 crashes into the ocean during an approach to HMCS Athabaskan off the coast of Denmark. The crew escape with minor injuries before the helicopter sinks.

July 29, 2008: HMCS St. John's, with one Sea King aboard, deploys for drug patrols in the Caribbean. During her deployment, St. John's is diverted to provide humanitarian assistance in Haiti, which had been hit by four hurricanes.

November 2008: Deadline missed for delivery of Sikorsky's first batch of Cyclone helicopters.

April 5, 2009: HMCS Winnipeg comes to the rescue of a merchant ship facing a pirate attack off the coast of Somalia and then went on to help a boatload of desperate refugees. A Sea King helicopter is deployed to thwart the attack.

Jan. 14, 2010: HMCS Athabaskan, with one Sea King, departs Halifax for Haiti to provide disaster relief following the devastating earthquake.

June 30, 2010: Canada agrees to accept six interim helicopters with lesser capabilities than those ordered by DND, provided Sikorsky agrees to deliver "fully compliant" helicopters beginning in June 2012.

Sept. 21, 2010: Three Sea Kings deploy to Newfoundland to provide humanitarian assistance to outlying communities cut off by Hurricane Igor.

Oct. 26, 2010: Auditor General Sheila Fraser criticizes DND for its Chinook and Cyclone helicopter procurements. She notes the Sikorsky costs have increased to $5.7 billion.

March 2, 2011: HMCS Charlottetown, with one Sea King aboard, is the first Canadian ship to take part in international operations underway in Libya. Charlottetown would patrol the waters immediately off Libya in support of the UN arms embargo.

July 4, 2011: Prince William, a search and rescue pilot in Wales, co-pilots a Sea King during an emergency exercise in P.E.I. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is one of the 2,400 onlookers for the "waterbird landing."

A Canadian soldiers jumps into Halifax harbour from a Sea King helicopter as he participates in advanced amphibious training on July 30. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

June 2012: Deadline for Sikorsky to deliver fully compliant Cyclone helicopters passes.

Jan. 14, 2013: HMCS Toronto, with one Sea King, deploys to the Arabian Sea to conduct maritime security and counter-terrorism operations.

June 25, 2013: Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose orders a review of Sikorsky's ability to actually deliver the Cyclones. "They have missed every deadline and every timeline," she tells CBC News.

July 15, 2013: A Sea King tips forward smashing its five rotor blades on the tarmac at Shearwater. The Sea King fleet is grounded for four days.

July 31- Aug. 1, 2013: 50th anniversary of the arrival of Canada's first Sea Kings in Shearwater.

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No spitting or speeding: How Justin Bieber could 'clean up his act'

When Justin Bieber stepped out on a hotel balcony in an upscale Toronto neighbourhood a few days ago, young "Beliebers" waiting below were agog at the chance to wave, scream and otherwise share their adoration for the young teen idol.

But then the 19-year-old, whose global fame has taken him a world away from life as a schoolboy in Stratford, Ont., apparently saw fit to spit on those same devoted fans.

Or maybe not — his representative told entertainment website TMZ.com on Tuesday (five days after the alleged event) that "Justin didn't spit on anyone." But TMZ, which spread the spitting story in the first place, doesn't buy that comment and says its photos of a spitting Bieber are the real thing.

A more innocent Justin Bieber tips his cap during a New York Knicks NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7, 2009. (Kathy Willens/Associated Press)

Whatever the truth, there's no doubt the reputation of the teen heart-throb who once had a squeaky-clean image has hit a rough patch over the past year or so. Unless he is deliberately trying to cultivate some sort of bad-boy persona.

Headlines have screamed of everything from his racing his white Ferrari down a residential street in California to relieving himself in a restaurant mop bucket.

Yes, some of those headlines may have been somewhat overplayed. But they have all made some of those who watch celebrity culture with great interest think it's time Bieber got a good talking-to from those close to him if he wants to ensure his fan base remains solid.

"The representatives owe him the truth, even at the expense of their positions," says Howard Bragman, vice-chairman of Reputation.com, an online reputation and review management firm.

"He needs to understand that if he doesn't clean up his act he might be playing state fairs in 10 years."

Canadian success story

Bieber is, by every account, a Canadian success story on a global scale. The young singer, described by the New York Times as "the defining teen star of recent years," has gathered upwards of 42 million Twitter followers — the greatest following amassed on the social media giant — and is in the midst of a 15-month "Believe" tour that will take him from Dubai to Beijing and about 150 others cities around the globe.

For the last year, though, he's been periodically grabbing headlines that cast him in a less-than-positive light. And while there could be endless armchair analysis of the difficulties of growing up in the media glare, there's also no doubt he's raised eyebrows for some of his antics.

Alanna Glicksman, a Toronto-based public relations consultant and entertainment blogger, points to Bieber's meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper last year, where the superstar showed up wearing overalls, a wardrobe incident that went viral.

"It sparks controversy because it's a sign of disrespect and it shows his age. Justin Bieber is very, very fortunate. He's had a very good run and he will probably continue to see massive success," says Glicksman.

"However, he needs to be a lot more diligent about how he portrays himself in the public eye."

How any star is portrayed in the public eye is inevitably a mix of the image crafted by handlers, combined with whatever spontaneous moments may occur when in full view of fans or media cameras.

In Bieber's case, his recent visit to Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam seemed like one of the planned ones, though it caused an outcry when he wrote in the museum guest book that Frank, who died in a Nazi concentration camp, "would have been a Belieber."

'Make yourself stand out'

For young stars, Glicksman says most of the image management happens at the beginning of the career.

"There's so much competition right now, there are so many talented people, so constructing an image is really a way for you to break out of the crowd and make yourself stand out."

But if fame hits, it can become harder to manage the image of person whose profile has grown and who attracts attention wherever he or she goes.

Justin Bieber failed to produce the necessary vaccination and import papers for his pet monkey Mally when he arrived in Germany in March, and the animanl has become the property of the German government. (Holger Hollemann/dpa/Associated Press)

"With things like social media coming into play, the star has a lot more control over their own image as opposed to in the past," says Glicksman.

"With some celebrities, of course, you'll see that their managers are the ones that actually manage their social media profiles. However, with some of younger stars like Justin Bieber, they're really in control of it."

That can reap benefits for the star and fans alike, who see pictures of their star and then feel they have an inside track on the life of the person they are following so closely.

But there's also a downside.

"It's not always done in maybe the best way and it doesn't always paint them in the right light," says Glicksman.

"Partying pictures don't necessarily portray a good boy image that a manager might hope their star is seen as."

No more quirky haircut

Glicksman considers Bieber a good example of a star who was strictly managed as his career started to take off.

"When we saw him, he was very innocent. He had his little quirky haircut that everyone was a fan of," she says.

Justin Bieber fans show their devotion in Barcelona on March 16, 2013. (Manu Fernandez/Associated Press)

"As he became more famous and his legions of Beliebers got more and more intense, his image changed a bit. He also became a different person. He started this journey as a child. Now he' a young man. He wants to have more freedom."

For Bieber, in the wake of the recent antics, which even saw him apologizing to former U.S. president Bill Clinton after being caught on tape dissing him, Bragman sees a need for some sober self-analysis.

"In his case it's clearly part of a bigger issue. He is a successful and talented 19-year-old multimillionaire who doesn't seem to take criticism well.

"He needs to understand that his personal life is getting in the way of his career; that parents [of fans], who control the spending, are not supportive; and that instead of building new fans his fan base is potentially shrinking."

Glicksman agrees that Bieber needs to have a very frank talk with his managers.

"They need to explain the danger of what he's doing to his brand."

Show some humility

And in Glicksman's mind, that includes a more careful approach to how he portrays himself on social media. Pictures or postings that show appreciation to his fans are good, but the late-night party shots need to go.

"Social media … really does have the power to grow a fan base and really help stars connect with their fans, especially these young stars," she says.

"However, the controls do need to be put there and any managers, publicists, anyone helping to guide and build this personal brand or the stars should really be explaining how these tools should be used."

Bieber will also be the target of comments by others on social media, and Bragman says criticism levelled against any artist through those channels and in the blogosphere comes with their career territory.

Looking ahead, Bieber needs to be ready to cope with that, too.

"When he was booed by his peers at the Billboard awards, that has to hurt," says Bragman. "And the correct answer is not, 'I think I'm doing OK.' It involves a little humility, gratitude and respect for others."

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Minister disputes claim High River sacrificed to flood

The engineer who told residents in High River that the Hampton Hills community was sacrificed to minimize flooding in the rest of the town used an unfortunate choice of words, says Alberta's associate minister in charge of rebuilding efforts.

Rick Fraser, the minister in charge of recovery and reconstruction for the High River region, was reacting to secretly recorded video obtained by CBC News on Tuesday.

The southern Alberta town was hit by flooding June 20, and a state of emergency was in place for weeks.

The video shows Darwin Durnie — who was hired by the province to manage the flood emergency in High River — explaining to residents of Hampton Hills that their homes were allowed to flood as part of a larger plan to channel water out of the town with the help of two hastily built berms.

The proximity of Hampton Hills to the Little Bow River diversion canal put the neighbourhood in harm's way despite it being on relatively high ground.

But Fraser criticized the version of events Durnie outlined to homeowners at the private, secretly videotaped meeting last Friday.

"Those words do not reflect the government's views," Fraser said in a written release late Tuesday.

"The people of Hampton Hills need to know that we're here for them and will continue to stand with them as they seek to restore their lives."

Fraser said he was pleased to hear that two-thirds of Hampton Hills residents are back home.

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Streetcar shooting: Will body-worn cameras help police and the public?

The fatal shooting of teenager Sammy Yatim by police on a streetcar near downtown Toronto's Trinity Bellwoods Park on the weekend has triggered outrage. The incident, captured on amateur video and posted online, has raised the issue of whether police should be recording their own video.

The shooting video has been viewed countless times online and in the media, and it leaves many questions about the decisions made by the officers involved.

But since none of the more than 20 officers at the scene were equipped with body-worn video cameras (BWV) — a technology more police forces are turning to — the public remains unaware of their perspective of the incident.

Video has been playing an increasing role in investigations of police activity. Video and policing first intersected in a big way in 1991, when George Holliday recorded Los Angeles police officers surrounding and beating Rodney King. Four of the officers were tried and acquitted.

Friends, family and outraged citizens took part in a protest march on Monday evening, following the shooting of 18-year-old Sammy Yatim on a TTC streetcar two days earlier. (Steven D'Souza/CBC)

In Canada video has played a part in a number of high-profile investigations, ranging from the death of Robert Dziekanski in 2007 after being shocked with a stun gun by RCMP officers, to the G8/G20 protests in Toronto in 2010, to the Vancouver Stanley Cup riots in 2011.

But much of this video has come from bystanders or security cameras located some distance from the event. So police forces around the world, including some in Canada, are starting to equip their officers with in-vehicle and body-worn cameras to get an audio-visual record of how events unfold from the point of view of officers.

BWV trials underway in Edmonton and Ontario

A number of companies are developing BWV technology for police, including Reveal Media in the U.K. and Seattle-based Vievu. Taser International Inc. makes a camera that police can mount on a pair of glasses. Ottawa Police have been using a Taser model equipped with a video camera since 2009.

BWV cameras generally sell for $700 to $1,200 and are expected to go down in price, Brian Flippance, the president of Integrys, told CBC News. Integrys is a technology distributor that sells Reveal Media cameras in Canada.

Police in Edmonton, Alta., and Amherstburg, Ont., are currently conducting BWV trials using the RS3-SX camera from Reveal Media. The RS3-SX is a self-contained unit with an LCD display of what the camera is recording that someone looking at the police officer can see.

The RS3-SX body worn video camera by Reveal Media is being used in trial studies in Edmonton, Alta. and Amherstburg, Ont. (Courtesy Integrys/Reveal Media)

Edmonton police are in the midst of a $450,000, three-year pilot project with BWV. Fifty officers are equipped with BWV and another six will get the equipment next month, Mary Stratton, the coordinator of the Body Worn Video Pilot Project, told CBC News.

The Edmonton Police Service wants "objective evidence of pros and cons and the costs and benefits of this kind of technology," she said.

Stratton highlights some of the issues with BWV: privacy, when to start recording in a dynamic situation, when to inform people you are recording, what situations are inappropriate to record.

The report on Edmonton's study is due by the end of 2014.

In Amherstburg, just one of the force's 20 police officers is equipped with BWV during the trial, and for just 30 days.

Police Chief Tim Berthiaume told the Windsor Star that BWV, "is one tool of being accountable and being open and being transparent."

Pros and cons of BWV

Paul Cook, the president of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, explained the advantages and disadvantages to CBC News.

On the plus side is the video evidence that can be used in court, "the opportunity to protect officers from false allegations of misconduct, and also provide us with the opportunity to hold our officers accountable if there was misconduct," he said.

Cook, who's also the police chief in North Bay, said the big disadvantage is the cost of purchasing the technology and maintaining it. And police forces need to weigh BWV against other technology like mobile workstations in cruisers, in-vehicle video, using technology for traffic enforcement and so on.

He also noted concerns from a privacy standpoint and issues about securing and maintaining the recordings.

Fewer use-of-force incidents

A number of other trials have indicated that beyond just providing a record of events, BWV use by officers can have an impact on policing itself.

Victoria police conducted a study in 2009 that "greatly supports" BWV. In the end they did not acquire it, largely because of the cost, but videos recorded during the study became evidence in criminal cases, many of them leading to convictions — and almost all of them by way of a guilty plea.

The report filed at the end of the trial period states that "Public hostility/aggressiveness decreased" and "Public complaints were reduced to zero during the test period."

For the police officers, the video provided them with a more accurate account of the incident and improved the quality of the evidence they could submit, according to the report.

British and American research has also found an increase in arrests and charges, a reduction in public complaints and positive public response to BWV. The first pilot projects were conducted in the U.K. in 2005.

Perhaps the most highly regarded report is from Rialto, Calif., which found the number of use-of-force incidents was cut in half when officers used the cameras.

And the number of citizens' complaints during the trial was one-tenth what it was during the prior 12 months.

Farrar says the cameras are now standard issue for police operations in his city of 100,000.

Police unions divided

In Ottawa, both the Defence Counsel Association and the local Police Association have come out in favour of BWV.

"Judicially we have become so much under attack that I think it's important to have our side explained," Matthew Skof, President of the Ottawa Police Association, told CBC News in 2012.

Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack says his union opposes officers using body worn video. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Inspector Steve Goodier of Hampshire Police in the U.K. told Police Oracle, a website used by every UK police force, that its officers are asking for BWV.

"It is not something that has been pushed down. Officers are finding that the cameras protect them and help them with their job, which is why they are really willing to use them," the website quotes him.

And the U.K.'s Minister of State for Police, Damian Green, said in a July 9 speech that he wants to see more forces using BWV. "Evidence shows up to 90 per cent of suspects plead guilty when they see the recorded evidence," he said.

Flippance and other experts have told CBC News that an additional argument in favour of BWV is that people behave differently when they know they are being videotaped, both the civilian and the officer. "It calms down the situation," Flippance says.

But Mike McCormack, head of the Toronto Police Association, told the Toronto Star in May that his union opposes BWV.

"We don't think it protects officers any more against complaints or protects the officers any more in gathering evidence in what they do," he said.

"I believe we have sufficient accountability," McCormack added.

Another issue is who has access to the recordings. In the U.S., police unions have expressed concerns about their superiors' using the videos to monitor officers' daily routine or search for minor infractions.

For civilians, Seattle resident Eric Rachner's 2008 arrest may be instructive. He won a $60,000 lawsuit because the police were reluctant to turn over video shot from a squad car camera, video Rachner said would prove that he'd been the victim of an illegal arrest.

"They really don't want to give it out unless it is just a clear-cut example of something that supports what the officer said, or tends to show that the arrestee is guilty," Rachner told National Public Radio.

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Is Justin Trudeau's pot stance a vote-getter?

Justin Trudeau's statement in favour of legalizing pot sparked a significant amount of political chatter. But political observers are split on whether this stance is likely to buy the Liberals any more votes in the next election.

"I don't think many people will vote on the basis of this issue," says Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto.

Nor does he feel Trudeau's new perspective will force the Conservatives to reconsider their own position going into the next election.

"To win an election, you don't have to win public opinion — you just have to win 38 per cent of it," says Wiseman, referring to the percentage of the popular vote that Harper's Conservatives took in the 2008 and 2011 elections.

Still, Donald McPherson, executive director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, a national advocacy group that wants to scale back the drug war rhetoric, likens Trudeau's reconsideration of his party's pot policy to U.S. President Barack Obama's "evolution" on same-sex marriage.

"That was a gutsy move," McPherson says of Obama. "But he'd figured it out, he'd read the polls, he took the plunge."

"I can't speculate if this will get any votes for Trudeau or not, but I suspect he'll get more votes than lose them on this one, just because of strong public opinion," says McPherson.

He also suggests that Trudeau's new position "paints Harper as a stodgy old, dyed-in-the-wool conservative who refuses to accept reality."

Late last week, the federal Liberal leader told a rally in Kelowna, B.C. that legalizing marijuana is "one of the only ways to keep it out of the hands of our kids, because the current war on drugs, the current model is not working.

"We have to use evidence and science to make sure we're moving forward on that," he went on.

The immediate political response was unequivocal.

(CBC)

The Conservative Party has vigorously opposed legalization and, after two earlier tries died on the parliamentary order paper, finally passed a law a year ago that sets mandatory minimum prison sentences for pot possession, depending on circumstances.

Justice Minister Peter Mackay said, "I would think Mr. Trudeau should look at other areas in which we can end violence and drug use and end this societal ill."

A post on the Conservative Party web site said the fact "that one of Justin Trudeau's first policy priorities is legalizing marijuana demonstrates once again that he does not have the judgment to be prime minister."

Meanwhile, the NDP, which has long advocated decriminalizing marijuana, called Trudeau's announcement "political pandering."

"He's moved around on the issue quite a bit," says Libby Davies, NDP MP for Vancouver East. She also noted that, as a rookie MP, Trudeau voted in favour of C-15, the first attempt by the Harper Conservatives to establish minimum sentences for possession of marijuana.

She says Canadians "have to look at his consistency, or lack thereof, and determine what his actual position is."

The NDP favours decriminalization, which would remove the risk of arrest for possession of small amounts of pot, because it would give legislators an opportunity to review the outcome and plan a regulatory framework before potentially proceeding to full legalization, Davies says.

Divisive issue

The debate over the legalization of pot is a recurring theme in Canadian politics. The Liberal government under Jean Chretien introduced a bill to decriminalize marijuana in 2003, but it failed to pass.

But the response to Trudeau's announcement demonstrates the divisiveness of the issue.

When CBC News contacted the Manning Centre, a conservative think tank based in Calgary, for a response, a spokesperson emailed back to say "we won't be commenting on that issue."

Trudeau's announcement looks to capitalize on a number of factors, says Dana Larsen, director of the non-profit group Sensible B.C., which is campaigning for a provincial referendum on marijuana decriminalization in 2014.

The first is an increasingly relaxed public attitude to marijuana. An Angus Reid poll done last fall found 57 per cent of Canadians support legalization.

The second is growing liberalization in the U.S., where 19 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana and two — Washington and Colorado — recently voted in favour of fully legalizing the drug.

"The number one reason that Canadian politicians have said that Canada won't change on marijuana has been, 'Well, we can't do anything until the U.S. has done it. They'll close the borders, they'll get upset with us,'" notes McPherson at the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition. "That reason is now questionable."

For her part, the NDP's Davies believes that taking a more progressive stance on marijuana can be a vote-getter. "I think there's a very strong public policy to get on with this, and develop public policies based on rational evidence," she says.

But while he applauds Trudeau's current position, Sensible B.C.'s Larsen remains guarded about whether the Liberal leader will follow through.

"The question will be whether he continues to talk about this. It's easy to say stuff when you're in third place."

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Streetcar shooting video not whole story, police union says

An amateur video that shows Toronto police shooting repeatedly at a teenager armed with a knife is "just one segment" of a broader picture that could look different once Ontario's police watchdog completes its investigation, the head of Toronto's police union says.

"I can see why people would have questions, and that's a natural thing, and we're going to get the answers" from the investigation of the province's Special Investigations Unit, said Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association.

"Let's let the SIU do its work," he told CBC's Matt Galloway, host of Toronto's morning radio show Metro Morning.

'We've been through this before where people start to rush to conclusions.'—Mike McCormack, president of Toronto Police Association

At issue is the shooting death of Sammy Yatim, 18, just after midnight ET Saturday.

The video, which has close to a million combined views on YouTube, shows police crowded around a streetcar with Yatim aboard.

Witnesses say Sammy Yatim was alone on the 505 Dundas streetcar near Trinity Bellwoods Park when he was shot. He had pulled a knife and ordered everybody off the streetcar, witnesses say.

On the video, nine gunshots are heard within 13 seconds, followed by the sound of a stun gun.

The incident has sparked anger throughout the city, including a protest that drew hundreds of people to the city's downtown. It is being investigated by the SIU, the police force itself, and will be reviewed today by the Ontario Ombudsman.

Officer suspended with pay

The police officer who shot Yatim has been suspended with pay, and Toronto police Chief Bill Blair made a statement Monday saying that he wants answers as much as the public.

McCormack called both the suspension and the statement "extraordinary."

He said he plans to speak with Blair about why he chose to suspend the officer to make sure the proper processes are happening. "Our officer has not been accused or charged with anything at this point, and there's been no finding of misconduct in any way," McCormack said.

The union head said he's been in a similar situation and that lethal force is sometimes the appropriate response to someone armed with a knife. He said the public's questions about the incident are valid, but there are a number of variables that the video might not make plain, and people will have to wait for the SIU investigation.

He said he doesn't believe there is a crisis of confidence in the Toronto police. "We've been through this before where people start to rush to conclusions," he said.

McCormack said the force is legally compelled to co-operate with the SIU and that the investigation will be transparent, full, and frank.

Experts also urge patience

At least two experts agree with McCormack that people shouldn't rely solely on the video to draw conclusions.

"It's very early in this process to determine any errors," Mike Summerville, a former Toronto police officer who now trains law enforcement officials in the use of force, told CBC News.

Sammy Yatim, 18, was shot at nine times and hit with a stun gun while alone on a streetcar in Toronto early Saturday. He was armed with a knife. (Facebook)

He said the video can't stand alone, because viewers can't see what came before the video started, how Yatim is responding, whether the officer had a clear line of sight, or even if Yatim is in fact holding a knife.

Greg Brown, a criminologist at Nipissing University in North Bay, said he doesn't judge particular incidents without hearing from the officers themselves.

"I don't think anyone's in a position to judge right now," he said.

Brown said that given the public's growing ability to record events involving police, officers in Canada should be commended, because there are so few examples of bad behaviour caught on tape.

Should police officers have guns?

Peter Rosenthal, a lawyer representing the family of Toronto man Michael Eligon, who was fatally shot by police last year while armed with scissors, had a more critical view.

He says the shooting is another in a series of "tragic, unfortunate and totally inappropriate police killings."

Rosenthal said training is in place, but that police don't follow it on the street, perhaps due to a "macho culture."

He said it may be time to reconsider whether all police officers should be armed, asking when was the last time a Toronto police officer shot a person who was an immediate threat.

"The killings are always this type," he said.

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Pet store under fire for treatment of reptiles

Reptile owners, handlers and some former PetSmart employees say they are shocked by how the animals are cared for at large pet stores, saying they have seen obvious signs of malnourishment and that many of the prospective pets are in need of medical attention.

Once considered rare and exotic, lizards and snakes are now widely available through internet sites, trade shows and pet stores.

Joel Monfront of Ottawa owns a bearded dragon and calls it an affectionate pet.

"I love them, they are very nice and calm, and you can cuddle with them, they are surprisingly a nice pet," said Monfront.

But he and other people who met at a backyard get-together for Ottawa reptile owners in July said they've seen lizards, snakes and turtles in poor condition at pet stores.

This lizard died after another lizard attacked it at the store, two former employees say. (Submitted photo)

'If we don't buy him, he's going to die'

Monfront said he went to the PetSmart outlet in the west-end Ottawa neighbourhood of Kanata earlier this summer to try to rescue a baby lizard.

"He was sitting in a pool of water and his head was dipping up and down below the surface, and I told my wife if we don't buy him he's going to die," said Monfront.

"We bought him but sadly he still died that very night, the very night we brought him home," he said.

Sarah Leduchowski, a veterinary technician and reptile owner, said she has seen terrible sights at many different pet stores and chains.

"I've seen animals that are starving. I've seen animals that are being attacked by their own food, such as crickets eating the skin, the eyelids off reptiles in their containers. I've seen where the reptiles have cannibalized each other because they are overcrowded," said Leduchowski.

Former employees say animals got worse at store

Two former employees at PetSmart who combined worked nearly four years at the Kanata outlet say they saw dozens of the animals die there.

Joel Monfront says he bought a baby lizard from the Kanata PetSmart in an effort to save its life. It died the night he brought it home. (CBC)

The former employees, who spoke to CBC News on the condition of anonymity, started to take photos and document the conditions after they said their complaints to management were mostly ignored.

Their before-and-after photos appear to show the deterioration in health and in some cases the deaths of the reptiles.

They said small lizards were often given crickets far too large for them to eat and that fruits and vegetables, key to a healthy diet, were sometimes missing completely.

Reptiles appear to be malnourished, say experts

Anthony Sinn, the president of the Ottawa amphibian and reptile association, said after viewing the photos that he was shocked by the condition of the animals, saying some clearly show signs of starvation.

"It's hard to understand how a pet store could even put anything like this on display," said Zinn, referring to a photo of what he said was a malnourished leopard gecko.

Local reptile breeder Norm Fairhead and his wife, Diane, often take in sick, rescued animals. He said he works close to the Kanata store and that he often alerts the staff about reptiles in poor health.

"I've seen animals on starvation diets in that store. I've asked employees how much an animal was getting. In most cases it was way undernourished," said Fairhead.

This mountain horned dragon died shortly after arriving at the store healthy, two former employees say. (Submitted photo)

PetSmart says initial investigation does not support allegations

The store manager at the Kanata PetSmart refused to comment, but the head of communications at PetSmart's head office in Arizona defended the chain's record.

"We do everything in our power to provide the best possible care for the pets in our stores," said director of corporate communications Michelle Friedman. "Are we perfect? No. Do we look for ways to improve? Always."

Friedman said an investigation is underway into the allegations concerning the Kanata outlet, but that "our initial findings do not support these allegations."

Friedman also said a Humane Society inspector recently went into the store, but found nothing wrong. She said the company veterinary team has also had difficulty determining if some of the animals in the photos were really dead.

"While some of the aspects of the photos we received were concerning, we don't see overt signs of abuse," said Friedman.

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Fracking proposal divides residents near Gros Morne

The search for oil off Newfoundland's west coast has divided people who live near the World Heritage Site that is a major draw to the region.

UNESCO recently announced it was concerned about plans to use hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — close to Gros Morne National Park.

Sue Rendell, one of the pioneers of the local tourism industry, is against the fracking plan.

"I think it would industrialize it, and the biggest reason people come here is it is a protected area," Rendell said.

Gros Morne National Park (in green)

"It's known for its natural beauty worldwide."

Rendell set up her kayak and outfitting business in the 1990s, after UNESCO gave the park its global designation.

The number of annual visitors since then has steadily grown to about 120,000.

"Where we're trying to compete internationally to bring people here to the west coast of Newfoundland, something like fracking, even the perception of it, may change people's decision to come here," Rendell said.

'Opportunity comes knocking'

But not everyone dismisses the proposal outright.

Walter Nicolle is the mayor of Rocky Harbour, one of the towns skirted by the boundaries of Gros Morne.

"When opportunity comes knocking on your door like that, you definitely [have] to stop and think about it," Nicolle said.

'When opportunity comes knocking on your door like that, you definitely [have] to stop and think about it.'—Rocky Harbour Mayor Walter Nicolle

Like other communities in the area, tourism has all but replaced the fishing industry.

Yet Nicolle says many residents are still open to oil exploration, because tourism is just not enough to stop the exodus of young people.

"It's only two or three months a year, so if there was some economic development to stabilize our communities, it would keep people here longer or even permanently," Nicolle said.

But at least one nearby resident says she's heard it before.

Kathy Lepold-Madigan divides her time between western Newfoundland and Pennsylvania.

Her home state welcomed shale gas exploration in rural areas where unemployment rivals the rate in Newfoundland.

But Lepold-Madigan says jobs and economic development were short-lived.

"Unskilled people were hired as flagmen and that type of thing," she said.

"They were offered very good salaries for that; they left their low-paying jobs to do that. And after six months they were done drilling and they all moved out. And people were without jobs, because their previous jobs were taken by somebody else."

'You have a really beautiful park there'

Tourist Louis Tremblay pulls his kayak out of a small lake in Gros Morne, in the shadow of a dark orange mountain range formed from the Earth's mantle millions of years ago.

Tourist Louis Tremblay from Quebec says he was struck by the beauty of Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland. (CBC)

The rare Martian-looking landscape is one of the reasons the park was recognized by UNESCO.

"You have a really beautiful park there," Tremblay said. "It's really nice."

This is Tremblay's first visit to Gros Morne.

He's from Quebec, where there's a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing.

About 50 kilometres down the coast from this small lake, there's a proposal to frack for oil.

Tremblay says he hopes it never happens.

"Can you imagine a sight like this and a see a tower pumping gas? It's marvelous, this sight."

Plans have been controversial

The plan to use hydraulic fracturing up and down the west coast of Newfoundland has been controversial.

One site is just a couple hundred metres from the park boundary and a highway used by travellers.

'We have a beautiful place here and we could destroy it very, very quickly.'—Sue Rendell, tourism operator

Even though the oil exploration is subject to two environmental reviews, the former federal environment commissioner has warned about the lack of regulations specific to fracking.

Rendell says the stakes are too high to take any chances.

"We have a beautiful place here and we could destroy it very, very quickly," she said.

For that reason, UNESCO wants to take a look at the environmental reviews before any drilling takes place.

The UN organization says Gros Morne's World Heritage Site status is not at risk — at least not for now.

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6 teens killed in Saskatchewan crash identified

The names of the six teens who died in a crash with a tanker truck at a rural Saskatchewan intersection early Saturday morning have been released by RCMP.

Kristopher Tavener was remembered by his family as a protective big brother, a loving son and a gifted hockey player. (Courtesy of the Tavener family )

Three males and three females died following a crash about six kilometres southeast of Lloydminster, a city on the Saskatchewan/Alberta border.

Police have identified the victims as:

• Aimie Hurley, 14, from Lloydminster
• Mackenzie Moen, 14, from Lloydminster
• Naomi Salas-Schafer, 13, from Lloydminster
• Kristopher Tavener, 17, from Marshall, Sask.
• Tarren Attfield, 15, from Lashburn, Sask.
• Jayden Boettcher, 16, from Marshall, Sask.

Five of the teens died at the scene. A sixth died later in hospital.

The driver of the tanker truck sustained undetermined injuries and is listed in stable condition.

The RCMP have not confirmed the cause of the accident, but say no alcohol was found in the car.

Tavener's parents call their son a "protective big brother and a loving son," a "true and faithful friend" who was a gifted hockey player.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting and spending time in the outdoors.

"A part of our world has been taken, we will never ever forget you and love you always," the family said in a statement.

Jayden Boettcher loved snowboarding, playing basketball and going on trips with his best friend Tarren Attfield, who also died in the crash. (Courtesy of Judy Freimark )

Boettcher was described by his mother as an avid fitness addict who loved snowboarding and playing basketball.

He was best friends with Tarren Attfield, who also died in the crash.

Lloydminster Mayor Jeff Mulligan says Saturday was a dark day for the community.

"It's a tough day but it's one of those things," he said. "We all should today reach out and hug our kids and grandkids."

In Marshall, friends raised three flags at the school bearing the boys' names. They also wrote their names in chalk on the sidewalk at the school entrance along with the words "Forever in our hearts."

With files from the CBC's Kristina Partsinevelos

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Will baby Prince George ever become king of Canada?

For republicans and monarchists alike, Prince George looks to have brought about general agreement on one issue at least: His very birth is a positive sign for the future of the monarchy.

John Fraser, the master at Toronto's Massey College and author of The Secret of the Crown: Canada's Affair with Royalty, says that even he feels sorry for republicans following the royal birth on July 22.

One of Fraser's favourite republican sparring partners, the eminent historian Michael Bliss, concedes the royals are "on a good run now" — a view that seems to be ricocheting around the globe.

British journalist Claudia Joseph, author of Kate: the Making of a Princess, told Associated Press, "I think this baby is hugely significant for the future of the monarchy," at least partly because George is the first offspring of a "commoner" in 350 years to be an heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, the editors of the New Zealand Herald opined that countries like New Zealand now "may be less anxious to cast off a connection of heritage that presents no threat to their constitutional sovereignty."

And the Australian Times reports that the royal birth "could prove to be the change that was needed for Australia to renew its commitment to the Commonwealth."

Author and journalist John Fraser defends the Crown in this 2012 book. But part of its dedication is to 'Michael Bliss: Historian, Conservative, Republican.' (CBC)

Not everyone was overwhelmed, mind you. In Northern Ireland, after brooding over "an heir backlog within the House of Windsor," the Belfast Telegraph observed that "it is hard even to envisage the future for a royal child born in the age of Twitter."

And Andrew Vine, an assistant editor at the Yorkshire Post, took the BBC to task for what he calls its "nasty little caveat" -- by repeatedly using the phrase "as things stand" in stories about George that implies "doubt hangs over the future of the monarchy."

"It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that within the BBC lies a mentality that regards the monarchy as a tiresome and outdated anachronism, and by extension, the millions who rejoiced at news of the birth as little more than deluded peasants in thrall to the pomp, pageantry and spectacle of royal events, an easily-pleased rabble who turn ga-ga with starry-eyed adoration and abandon all critical faculty when the glass coach passes by," Vine writes.

What does history tell us about the monarchy's future?

Last year Fraser and Bliss were debating the monarchy before large audiences across Canada. So after the new prince's name was revealed, CBC News checked in with the two eminent Canadians for their thoughts on the future of the Crown in Canada.

Bliss, ever the historian, looks to what recent world history tells us about about forms of government and counts fewer monarchies. "You don't have many countries that adopt a monarchy and you have various countries that get rid of it, so the historical trend is against the poor baby," he said.

He also pointed out the decline of the monarchy among Commonwealth nations over the last half-century. Only 16 of the 53 members nations recognize the Queen as their head of state.

"I would bet my money the baby will never be the king of Australia and New Zealand, and my guess is not of Canada either," Bliss said.

John Fraser says the test for the Royal Family is not the good times but how they weather 'the crises, and so far they look pretty resilient.' (Massey College)

When it comes to monarchy, much depends on public opinion, both he and Fraser agree. "The polls do show that with every generation of Canadians, there's less interest in the monarchy," says Bliss and he expects that trend to continue.

Fraser's view: "Any institution that depends on the goodwill of the masses has clouds over it, they're built in."

But he also noted that the same applies to parliamentary democracy or the American republican system.

Testing constitutional monarchy

"The test is not the good times, these nice times of renewal for the constitutional monarchy. But how it weathers the crises and so far they look pretty resilient," Fraser said about the the Royal family.

"They've been counted down so many times," he added. But "if you project from today, things are looking good."

Fraser argues that, in Canada, the monarchy "probably will continue, because to open up any kind of constitutional issue in Canada is always so fraught, and it had better be for a pretty important reason, and I don't think the constitutional monarchy actually constitutes a very important reason to hurl each other at each other."

Bliss concedes "there's a certain amount of truth in that, and that's the inertia factor, which is probably [Prince George's] best hope.

In 2008, with the opposition parties planning to bring down his government, Prime Minister Stephen Harper succeeded in getting then governor general Michaelle Jean to approve his controversial recommendation to prorogue Parliament. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

"The problem with that is that as we've seen at least once, maybe more often in recent history, the status quo can get us into some serious problems."

As Bliss sees it, "there is a serious flaw in the Constitution related to the monarchy, and the flaw is that the monarchy is so completely ceremonial and toothless that it is nothing more than a creature of the government of the day."

Abuse of prime ministerial power

That toothlessness results in the Governor General having no legitimacy to be a serious check on prime ministerial power, Bliss said.

It is a serious problem that "crops up whenever a prime minister appears to be abusing power, as in proroguing Parliament. In the next 65 years it's hard to think that Canada will sail along quietly, constitutionally."

This week the Quebec government said it would be an intervener in support of a court challenge to the legislation passed unanimously by the House of Commons in March that removed the gender bias in the rules on royal succession.

Since Henry VIII (in portrait), British monarchs have had the title, 'Defender of the Faith.' Prince Charles, shown here in 2004, has proposed dropping the 'the.' (Fiona Hanson/Reuters)

The challenge is mostly about the way the changes were implemented. The Quebec law professors bringing the case argue Canada's Constitution requires the consultation and agreement of all the provinces for a change of this magnitude to become law.

The federal government disagrees, arguing that a change to the rules of succession is not a constitutional amendment to the role of the monarchy. But Bliss says that this case could be "a real sleeping stick of dynamite."

Only Anglicans need apply

Another argument in the court challenge is that the change discriminates on the basis of religion because it requires the heir to be Anglican.

Fraser points out that, in Britain, there is the real possibility of the disestablishment of the Church of England as the state church. "The moment that happens, the denomination of the sovereign is irrelevant," he argues.

In 1521, Pope Leo X bestowed on Henry VIII the title "Defender of the Faith," and every monarch since then has taken on that title at their coronation. Prince Charles has argued for a slight but important change in the title — dropping the word "the."

And while the suggestion provoked a firestorm, Fraser argues that Charles's view is important for the survival of the monarchy. "The monarchy has to be inclusive, not exclusive, that's his instinct and that's being passed on to his heir."

Historian Michael Bliss says we are entering the age of the geriatric monarchy, with the prospect of only elderly men succeeding each other once Charles becomes king. (CBC)

Fraser and Bliss both agree that Catherine has boosted the monarchy's popularity at the moment, essentially because shecomes across as a lovely young woman with an easygoing nature.

But Bliss points out that we are also in what he calls the age of the geriatric monarchy.

As things stand, to invoke the BBC caveat, after Queen Elizabeth the crown passes to her already 64-year-old son, Charles.

Given the longevity of the Windsors, and their opposition to abdication, the future of this royal family looks to be one of elderly men succeeding each other for at least three generations.

For Bliss, the likelihood there may not be another young queen like Elizabeth poses a problem for the monarchy's future image.

The Quebec law professors' motion for judgment on the Succession to the Throne Act:

Motion for judgement on Royal line of succession changes (PDF)
Motion for judgement on Royal line of succession changes (Text)

Daniel Schwartz is both a Massey College alumnus and a former student of Prof. Bliss.

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Infographic | The inside story of an iceberg

Related

External Links

IcebergFinder.com

(Note:CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)

There are only a few places on the planet where you can easily see an iceberg floating by, and Newfoundland and Labrador happens to be one of them. Tourism ads celebrate the giants that travel each year through Iceberg Alley, visitors cherish their photographs, and even the most cynical among us are awestruck in their presence.

How much do you know about icebergs? Our thanks to Steve Bruneau, the world-renowned iceberg researcher at Memorial University, for his notes on these Arctic giants.

For more information on icebergs, consult Steve Bruneau's Icebergs of Newfoundland and Labrador. Also available is Iceberg Alley: A Journal of Nature's Most Awesome Migration, which Bruneau wrote with Kevin Redmond. Both are available from Flanker Press.

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Rail safety advocates urge new rules for high-risk cargo

The sort of disaster that struck Lac-Mégantic may thankfully be rare but the consequences are so grave when serious derailments involving oil do occur, extraordinary measures must be taken to prevent them, say proponents of stricter protocols.

A Montreal, Maine & Atlantic train carrying 72 tank cars filled with oil exploded after it unexpectedly began rolling and went off the tracks in the small Quebec town on July 6, taking an estimated 47 lives.

The disaster — one of the worst rail accidents in Canadian history — has prompted as many as nine investigations and extensive discussion about how best to prevent a similar tragedy. Many seek urgent solutions given projections of steadily rising petroleum shipments by train.

The Canadian rail industry points to an improving safety record, noting the number of derailments — including those involving dangerous goods — is stable or decreasing.

'We just think the federal government hasn't done its job, which is to set the rules in a way that protects community safety and the environment'—Keith Stewart, Greenpeace Canada

There were four main-track derailments involving dangerous goods last year, below the 2008-12 annual average of eight incidents, according to the Transportation Safety Board. Derailments involving hazardous materials on secondary tracks stood at 32 in 2012, below the 2009-12 annual average of 37.

The Railway Association of Canada says 99.9977 per cent of all dangerous goods shipped by rail reach their destination without a release caused by a train accident. It adds that the oil spillage rate is lower for railways than for pipelines.

Those who study catastrophes say the numbers don't tell the whole story.

A major derailment of a train carrying large quantities of oil is what disaster experts call a low-probability, high-consequence event. In other words, it's not likely to happen, but if it does the fallout may well be devastating.

"These are totally different from other types of train crashes," said Ali Asgary, an associate professor of emergency management at York University in Toronto.

Huge increase in oil shipments since 2009

The rail industry has a very good safety record compared with other modes of transportation, said Manish Verma, an associate professor at McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business in Hamilton, Ont.

But that means only so much when dozens of tank cars filled with oil are passing through a community. "Even if something minor happens, the consequence could be very, very huge," he said.

Previously a train might have a handful of tank cars carrying chlorine or other such hazardous goods, notes Keith Stewart, climate and energy campaign co-ordinator with Greenpeace Canada. Now a train might have scores of cars transporting oil to a refinery.

"That's relatively new, and it's a lot more dangerous because the consequences when something goes wrong are much higher," Stewart said.

"I'd look at it as loading the dice in favour of disaster."

In 2009, major railways moved just 500 carloads of crude oil, but that has jumped to about 140,000 carloads a year, the railway association says.

While only about three per cent of Canadian crude moves by rail, one industry estimate has the figure rising to as high as 25 per cent by 2035.

New rules not enough, critics say

Last week, in a preliminary response to the Lac-Megantic derailment, Transport Canada issued a series of emergency orders. From now on, at least two crew members must work trains that carry dangerous goods. In addition, no locomotive attached to a tank car filled with dangerous materials can be left unattended on a main track.

But those concerned about the hazards of transporting oil by train say much more must be done.

"You can never have absolute safety with moving fossil fuels, but it can be a lot safer than it is today," Stewart said. "We just think the federal government hasn't done its job, which is to set the rules in a way that protects community safety and the environment."

Among the suggested solutions:

• ensuring the tank cars used to move crude oil will not easily rupture.
• giving trains with large amounts of crude priority in order to avoid unnecessary stops and delays.
• diverting trains carrying oil away from towns and cities.
• shielding populated areas by reclaiming land around tracks or building barriers to protect people.

Stewart would like to see broad public hearings on the movement of oil by all modes, including rail, truck, pipeline and ship.

The Railway Association of Canada refused to make anyone available for an interview. However, in a recent commentary posted on the association's website, president Michael Bourque says operators continue to improve safety when it comes to transporting crude oil and other dangerous goods.

A May 2012 Transport Canada memo, obtained by Greenpeace Canada, said the department had "identified no major safety concerns with the increased oil on rail capacity in Canada, nor with the safety of tank cars that are designed, maintained, qualified and used according to Canadian and U.S. standards and regulations.

"Indeed, Canada and the U.S. work collaboratively to ensure the harmonization of rail safety requirements."

The same wording appears in versions of the memo prepared as recently as January.

Asked during a conference call with reporters last week whether Transport Canada stands by that assessment, Gerard McDonald, the department's assistant deputy minister of safety and security, declined to discuss the internal memo.

Stewart points to a Transportation Safety Board recommendation that stricter safety provisions apply to all Class 111A tank cars that carry crude oil, not just a limited segment. A 2013 board assessment says the watchdog will continue to monitor the issue, concluding that "a large number of the existing tank cars carrying dangerous goods will be vulnerable to puncture, even during derailments at moderate operating speeds."

Verma acknowledges that altering routes to avoid populated areas would be expensive, but says it should be a collaborative effort between rail operators, governments and regulators.

Asgary fears the possibility of an oil-fuelled derailment fire in a large city.

"We should look at the worst-case scenarios when we are dealing with these type of activities and how we can handle them — or if we can handle them, really."

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Toronto chief promises answers after police kill teen

Toronto police Chief Bill Blair says people "have every right to be concerned" after an 18-year-old man armed with a knife on a downtown streetcar was shot repeatedly and killed by police this weekend — an incident captured by amateur video.

Blair said he had seen the video, which has been posted online.

Witnesses say Sammy Yatim was alone on the 505 Dundas streetcar near Trinity Bellwoods Park when he was shot just after midnight Saturday morning. He had pulled a knife and ordered everybody off the streetcar, witnesses say.

The video shows the stopped streetcar at a distance, with multiple police officers nearby, at least one with his hands raised to shoulder height.

Nine gunshots are heard within 13 seconds.

Blair said he knows the public has many questions after seeing the video. "I am also seeking answers to those important questions."

The chief said he has asked deputy chief Mike Federico to reach out to the family.

"As a father, I can only image their terrible grief and their need for answers," Blair said.

Blair did not take questions, noting that he is forbidden by law to interfere with the investigation of Ontario's police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit.

The SIU has begun an investigation of the incident as it must under provincial law.

The chief said there will also be an internal investigation.

The Ontario ombudsman also said in a tweet Monday that his office will be "reviewing" the shooting on Tuesday.

Security expert concerned

Ross McLean, a security expert and former Toronto police officer, studied a version of the video with enhanced video and audio, frame by frame.

He said it raises serious questions about how police handled the confrontation.

On the enhanced video, a six-second jolt from a Taser can be heard after the gunshots, McLean said. Yatim also appears to put his hands over his head at one point on the enhanced video, he said.

'Your mouth is your best weapon'

McLean says if the officers had waited another minute for the officer with the Taser to arrive instead of opening fire, Yatim might be alive today. "Should you be Tasering someone who's been shot six or nine times and lying on the ground?" he told CBC News.

McLean says the video also suggests police did not engage the suspect.

"Your mouth is your best weapon," he said.

The key is to communicate with and contain the suspect, he said.

Sammy Yatim was a recent high school graduate. (Facebook)

"He was fairly contained. He was in the streetcar. He could have let that guy sit there all night."

Police can be heard on the enhanced video saying "Drop the knife!" and "If you take one step in this direction, you're finished," McLean told CBC host Matt Galloway on Toronto's morning radio program Metro Morning.

McLean said it's unlikely that any of the nine shots were warning shots.

"This officer's going to have to explain why he used the level of force he did," McLean said.

Vigil today

A vigil for Yatim has been planned for 5 p.m. today at Yonge-Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.

The family, which moved to Toronto from Syria about five years ago, is hiring a lawyer and wonders how police could shoot him multiple times even after it appears he went down.

His sister, Sarah, said her family is in shock.

Yatim's friends have posted their condolences for the recent high school graduate on social media, and Sarah has started a Facebook group that she hopes will help stop what she considers an injustice at the hands of police.

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BC Hydro hit with smart meter class-action lawsuit

BC Hydro says it has installed 1.8 million smart meters already. (CBC)

A Saltspring Island woman has initiated a class-action lawsuit against B.C. Hydro over smart meters.

Nomi Davis is suing the utility for installing a smart meter at her home last year against her wishes.

Court documents say Davis was concerned about the device's high-frequency emissions and when she asked Hydro to remove it, the company threatened to cut off the electrical supply.

The lawsuit demands that Hydro remove meters from homes where people don't want them and calls for the company to be blocked from charging additional fees to people who opt out of the smart meter program.

Earlier this month, Energy Minister Bill Bennett said British Columbians opposed to the smart meters can opt out of the program, but the decision would cost them extra cash.

BC Hydro says 96 per cent of its customers have switched to the new meters, and that there are now 1.8 million in use around the province.

The B.C. government says the provincial health officer, Health Canada and the World Health Organization report that smart meters pose no known health risks.

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Grieving town of Lac-Mégantic consoled by memorial mass

More than 1,000 people packed into a church in Lac-Mégantic, Que., this morning, to watch a memorial service for the victims killed by the July 6 train derailment.

The crowd, which spread outside the church for several blocks, looked on as Msgr. Luc Cyr, the archbishop of Sherbrooke, Que., began the ceremony, which was held in French.

Lac-Mégantic Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche is embraced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Premier Pauline Marois. (CBC)

He welcomed the friends and families of the victims to the Ste-Agnès Church, as well as the many dignitaries that joined the ceremony, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Gov. Gen. David Johnston, and Quebec Premier Pauline Marois.

The Catholic mass opened with a reading of the names of all 47 victims, followed by a excerpt from Isaiah: "I will not forget you, I have your names etched upon the palms of my hands."

'Unheard of tragedy'

In his message Father Steve Lemay, the parish priest, described the town of Lac-Mégantic as a place normally filled with life, brotherhood and fraternity.

"What happened here in our town, in Lac-Mégantic?" he asked the crowd. "An unheard of tragedy that brought us incomparable suffering."

Father Lemay described the victims as individuals who were full of vitality.

"Our town is marching, mourning and it is accompanied by a large crowd," he said.

Stephen Harper: Canada stands in solidarity

After the service came to an end, Prime Minister Stephen Harper briefly addressed media.

"This has been a very emotional day," he said. "It's still very difficult to absorb this when you see all of these families that have been affected," he said.

Harper added that he was also there to express "the solidarity of all Canadians with the people of Lac-Mégantic."

Through choked-back tears, Marois shared her best wishes with the community.

"I am certain that I can speak on behalf of all Quebecers to say to those that have lost a child, a husband, a wife, someone they loved, that all of Quebec's hearts are with them," she said.

Father of victim says he depends on faith, family

The father of one of the victims spoke to CBC News this morning before the mass began.

His daughter, Kathy Clusiault, 24, was killed in the blast three weeks ago.

She lived above Musicafé, a popular bar near the train tracks, where many of the victims were enjoying the summer evening when the train careened of the tracks.

Over 1,000 people attended a memorial mass in Lac-Mégantic on Saturday morning. (The Canadian Press)

Jean Clusiault said his faith and his family's support has helped him through his grief.

"I've got great support and I know the preacher who is here. He's a friend of mine and he helped me a lot," he said.

Forty-seven people were killed when the train carrying crude oil derailed, causing multiple explosions at the centre of the bustling town.

Forty-two victims have so far been found in the city's devastated core. Crews are still searching for the remains of five missing people, who are presumed to be dead.

The tragedy has triggered several lawsuits, a police criminal investigation and a probe by federal transportation-safety officials.

Quebec and the federal government have each promised $60 million for emergency assistance and longer-term reconstruction help for the town.

Ottawa has also revamped some of its rules on train transport, following the advice of the federal Transportation Safety Board.

Follow CBC reporters Willy Lowry and Raffy Boudjikanian as they report live from the memorial in Lac-Mégantic:

[View the story "Latest updates: Victims remembered" on Storify]

With files from The Canadian Press

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6 teens die in crash near Lloydminster, Sask.

Six teenagers have died in a collision between a semi-tanker truck and car six kilometres southeast of Lloydminster, Sask.

RCMP say three males and three females were killed in the crash early Saturday morning. The ages of the victims range between 13 to 17 and they were all in the same vehicle.

The Mounties had said earlier they believed seven people perished, but they revised that number later on Saturday.

One person was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards. The other victims were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi was taken to hospital with undetermined injuries.

RCMP Cpl. Rob King said the names of the victims or where they are from won't be released without permission from their parents. However, he believes they were all from Saskatchewan.

"From what we can tell right now, all of the victims were in the car," King said at a news conference in Regina.

RCMP Cpl. Rob King said the victims were travelling in the same vehicle. The condition of the semi-tanker driver is not known. (CBC)

"There was one person outside the car when members arrived and that's the person that was taken to hospital and then died later from his injuries."

King said at the time of the collision the tanker was hauling crude oil north on Highway 17 and car was heading east on Township Road 490.

It still isn't clear what happened. King said there is a stop sign at the intersection, which is where a dirt road meets a two-lane highway.

Police initially reported that one passenger had died in the crash. In a subsequent release Saturday afternoon they said they were originally told at 4:20 a.m. CT that a truck had rolled over on Township Road 490, just south of the city.

When they arrived, they realized another vehicle had ended up submerged in a slough.

The roads around the area were blocked off all morning.

A collision reconstruction expert was on the scene trying to determine what happened.

King said it isn't known if alcohol was a factor in the crash. Police are also determining whether the victims were wearing seatbelts.

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Police shooting on Toronto streetcar leaves 1 dead

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is looking into a fatal shooting involving Toronto police after a 19-year-old man was killed on a TTC streetcar overnight Friday.

Police in 14 division were dispatched to a call about a person with a knife aboard a streetcar near Dundas Street West and Bathurst Street just after midnight.

The SIU said there was an "interaction" with a man and police before he was taken to St. Michael's Hospital with a gunshot wound and pronounced dead.

A video posted online by Martin Baron shows at least four officers positioned near the sliding front doors of the parked 505 Landsdowne streetcar, one of whom had their gun pointed.

'I could see a guy standing up with a knife, and it wasn't a big thing, maybe five or six inches long.'—Martin Baron, witness

Baron told CBC News he heard police shouting "drop the knife" multiple times. Several gunshots were fired a short time later.

"I could see a guy standing up with a knife, and it wasn't a big thing, maybe five or six inches long," Baron said. "There was no apparent attack. I didn't see him attack anyone."

Baron said police rushed into the streetcar after the shots were fired to perform CPR on the victim.

The victim's identity has been released.

The SIU says it has assigned six investigators and two forensic investigators to the incident.

The SIU investigates all incidents involving police in which death or serious injury occur, or when allegations of sexual assault are raised.

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