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Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI USA: 6th Annual IP Excellence in Organizing Awards

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    During the 41st IAM Convention, the 6th Annual International President’s Excellence in Organizing Awards were presented to celebrate a historic achievement in the realm of union organizing—a triumph that embodies the spirit of solidarity, determination, and collective action. It is with great pride and admiration that we honor these Districts for their outstanding contributions to organizing efforts within our union in the year 2023.

    Accepting the award for his district and himself, District 751 Organizer Jesse Cote II

    Western Territory – District 751

    District 751 has emerged as a true leader in the field of union organizing, achieving an unprecedented milestone of organizing 282 new members. Notably, the first private sector acute care organizing victory in healthcare, with 211 new members joining our ranks.

    The success of District 751 in organizing new members within the healthcare sector demonstrates the immense potential of collective action and solidarity in improving the lives of workers across diverse industries. By securing a foothold in the private sector acute care field, District 751 has not only strengthened our union but also paved the way for future organizing victories and advancements in workers’ rights.

    Western Territory – Jesse Cote II

    Cote emerged as a true champion of workers’ rights, leading an impressive eight successful organizing campaigns. Among these victories was a landmark campaign at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital—an achievement that not only strengthened our union but also empowered hundreds of workers to stand together for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions.

    Throughout Cote’s tenure as a union organizer, he has been a tireless advocate for workers’ rights, a mentor to aspiring organizers, and a steadfast voice for social justice in our communities. Cote’s passion for the cause, his unwavering commitment to our union, and his relentless pursuit of fairness and equality serve as an inspiration to us all.

    Accepting the award for District 78 – ST Mona Burke and Organizer Rootisha Rampat. Territory Grand Lodge Representative Scott Jackson accepting his award.

    Canadian Territory – District 78

    District 78 is one of the most diverse districts in all of Canada. Due to the many contracts they service, they have come up with some unique ways of signing up new members. District 78 shares information with all the other districts in Canada, as well as in the US, in order to constantly “up” their game. District 78 received or shared organizing awards consistently in recent years, and 2023 was no exception. 

    Healthcare, automotive, as well as manufacturing, trucking and labor staff groups are all industries and sectors where they have been feverishly active. The entire teams’ “all hands-on deck” approach has grown the IAM.

    Canadian Territory – Grand Lodge Representative Scott Jackson

    Jackson cut his union teeth in Local 901 in Ajax, Ontario, where he worked as a Machinist rising to the position of local President. Jackson widened the net and expanded the membership to include many diverse groups – including healthcare and labor staff groups. He was appointed Territorial Organizing Leader for Canada in 2020 and has helped to intensify the focus on organizing throughout his many roles and this continues today. With new organizers and new energy, he is helping make the IAM one of the most successful Unions in Canada – and across North America.

    Accepting the award for District 15 DBR and Organizer Norm Shreve and Business Rep and Organizer Cristino Vilorio.

    Eastern Territory – District 15

    This District had a busy 2023! With a 4-2 record. Unit sizes ranged from 15-80 people. Accepting the award is – District 15 Directing Business Representative and Organizer Norm Shreve and Business Representative and Organizer Cristino Vilorio.

    Accepting his award, Special Representative Brent Coleman.

    Eastern Territory – Special Representative Brent Coleman

    While at District 1 as the District Organizer, in 2023, Coleman inspired over 100 members from various fields of work to organize. From service contracts to Vet Techs and IT Professionals. He won them all in 2023. 

    Accepting the award for District 141, Organizer Frank Giannola

    Air Transportation Territory – District 141

    This District is a force to be reckoned with. Their Organizer has made it his mission, along with their organizing team, to organize the organized and to organize the unorganized. Making organizing a top priority, this District continues to grow its membership in the Air Transport Territory.

    Accepting her award, Organizer Tiffany Lopez.

    Air Transportation Territory – Associate Organizer Tiffany Lopez

    Lopez began her organizing career with Air Transport in January 2023 and hit the ground running. Determined to make a difference, she quickly formed an in-house committee for Delta Airlines in Detroit and Minneapolis. She thinks outside the box and constantly searches for new ideas to attract new interactions with those she seeks to organize.

    Accepting the awards for District 1888 and himself, Business Rep and Organizer Ryan McCarthy

    Southern Territory – District 1888

    In 2023 the Southern Territory added over 1,000 members in organizing efforts. District 1888 led the way, not only in the Southern Territory, but in the IAM. Directing Business Representative Ernie Epps and his staff Assistant Directing Business Representative Bill Benson, Business Representative Keith McFarland, Business Representative Ryan McCarthy, Business Representative Billy Givens and Business Representative Chris Harrington added over 600 new members to their District and continue to develop a culture of Organizing that is consistent year to year, this model is an example for all to follow. This District is a great example of the commitment needed in organizing our union into the future.

    Southern Territory – District 1888 Business Representative and Organizer Ryan McCarthy

    In 2023 McCarthy led 332 Lockheed Martin workers at Bluegrass Station, Ky., to a victory. This was a campaign that was hard fought, with many obstacles and a not so friendly employer. McCarthy knew he would need some help and in true Machinists fashion his brothers, sisters, and siblings showed up to help. The team consisted of many dedicated organizers from District 1888, District 776, and the Southern Territory Representatives and Associate Organizers. McCarthy continues to do a Journeyman’s Job to grow the IAM and we look forward to the increased organizing opportunities from this historic victory.

    Accepting the award for District 5 and on behalf of Jeremy Pearson is District Business Rep and Organizer Jeff Hoopman.

    Midwest Territory – District 5

    District 5 is the embodiment of what it means to organize with intention. In 2023, with Grand Lodge Representative Dennis Mendenhall leading, District 5 successfully organized Vaderstad Industries Inc., a 100-person unit that manufactures Agricultural Equipment in Wahpeton, North Dakota. To date, this District has continued organizing both externally and internally. This District’s success is a testament to our collective efforts and commitment, fostering a sense of unity and shared achievement.

    Midwest Territory – District 5 Directing Business Representative Jeremy Pearson

    Pearson’s persistent commitment to his members is better reflected in his work, whether servicing or organizing. He does this with passion and humility, which makes him a compelling and relatable organizer. In late 2023, his versatile approach allowed him to successfully organize Kay & Associates Inc., a group of aviation technicians in South Dakota. His deep dedication to growing our union motivates him to look for opportunities to organize.

    Accepting the award for the Southern Territory is General Vice President Craig Martin

    IAM Top Territory Organizing Distinction 

    The Southern Territory had 14 organizing wins in 2023! Four of those wins were triple digit units, including 332, 248, 176 and 164 new members The Southern Territory successfully organized 1,150 people in 2023!

    Ali Rhodes accepting her awards for Top HQ Organizer and Top IAM Organizer.

    IAM Headquarters Organizer of the Year & the 2023 Top IAM Organizer of the Year Award: Grand Lodge Representative Ali Rhodes

    Rhodes ran a very strategic and comprehensive campaign leading to a monumental victory by successfully organizing nearly 1,000 Patient Care Associates and Psychiatric Care Technicians at the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center! Rhodes started her IAM career with ExpressJet Airlines in 2011. Over the years, she became actively involved in our union – first as an auditor and later as a committee chairperson. She dedicated her time to organizing, lobbying, and furthering her education at the Winpisinger Center and Eastern Gateway Community College.

    Equipped with her union education and determination to protect fellow workers, she was appointed as a Special Representative with the Organizing Department in 2018.

    “I’ve had the privilege to work closely with this individual during that time and nobody is more committed to growing our Union and helping to improve the lives of workers than her,” said IAM Assistant Organizing Director Juan Eldridge 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: The NFB is proud to distribute the restored print of Michel Brault’s film Les ordres and other works by the filmmaker

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    In 1974, Michel Brault’s feature film Les ordres was released. The National Film Board of Canada would like to mark the 50th anniversary of this masterpiece, which won an award at Cannes, and announces the distribution of the version restored by Éléphant: mémoire du cinéma québécois to festivals, film clubs and other venues.

    The 50th anniversary of this masterpiece of Quebec cinema will also be celebrated.

    September 23, 2024 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    In 1974, the feature film The orders, by Michel Brault, was launched. The National Film Board of Canada wishes to highlight the 50th anniversary of this masterpiece, awarded at Cannes, and announces the distribution of the restored version by Elephant: memory of Quebec cinema at festivals, film clubs and other venues.

    The NFB now shares with Elephant the distribution rights to several of Michel Brault’s works, including restored versions of the films Les ordres, Entre la mer et l’eau douce, Quand je serai parti… vous vivrez encore and the documentary series Le son des Français d’Amérique, co-directed with André Gladu.

    The NFB thanks the Brault family for their trust in distributing these works, and continues to preserve and promote Michel Brault’s films produced at the NFB, which are significant for our cinematography and many of which are available on nfb.ca.

    Quotes

    “Michel Brault is one of the greatest creators of Quebec cinema: a master of direct cinema, a virtuoso of the camera, an exceptional director of photography, a notable director in both documentary and fiction, at the NFB and in the private sector. This new distribution agreement allows the NFB to make its films ever more accessible, particularly to new generations. The 50th anniversary of the Ordres reminds us of the importance of such works for our collective memory.” — Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the NFB

    “The Brault family would like to express its gratitude to the NFB and its partners, Éléphant and the Cinémathèque québécoise, for their participation in the promotion, conservation and protection of the exceptional heritage that our father left us. Thank you on behalf of all of Michel’s children and grandchildren.”

    Quick facts

    The orders

    Press kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/les-ordres

    Halfway between fiction and documentary, Les ordres is based on the testimony of around fifty people imprisoned following the application of war measures in October 1970. We follow five characters (three men and two women) constructed from these testimonies, from their arrest to their release. The film won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1975.

    Special screening for the film’s 50th anniversary

    Wednesday, September 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the RGFM Beloeil Cinema in room 1 Michel-Brault, in the presence of the Brault family and guests of honor

    Information and ticketing

    Production underway of a film on Michel Brault

    The movie Michel Brault – The instinct of sight, written and directed by Frédérick Pelletier and co-produced by the ACPAV and the NFB, will be a documentary halfway between a biography and a personal essay, enriched in particular by the support of the NFB archives team. This film will help to reaffirm Michel Brault’s essential place in world cinema, while his work and his ways of doing things still exert a decisive influence on filmmakers here and elsewhere.

    About Michel Brault (1928-2013)

    His name appears in the credits of nearly two hundred productions. In turn cameraman, director of photography, director and producer, Michel Brault has, among other things, participated, either as director or director of photography, in four of the ten best Canadian films of all time.

    In 1956, Michel Brault joined the NFB, where he shot some forty short and medium-length films. In addition to Claude Jutra, his main partners were Jacques Giraldeau, Fernand Dansereau, Louis-Georges Carrier, Claude Fournier and Gilles Groulx. It was with the latter that he co-directed in 1958 The snowshoers, film which would have a decisive influence on the French team of the NFB: the latter would resolutely commit itself to the path of the direct movement, of which Brault, with his colleagues, is now credited with paternity.

    After a stay in France where he filmed with Jean Rouch and Mario Ruspoli, Michel Brault directed with Pierre Perrault For the rest of the world And Acadia, Acadia?!

    Michel Brault’s work as cameraman and director of photography is impressive: My uncle Antoine (1971) and Kamouraska (1973) by Claude Jutra; Die at the top of your lungs (1979) by Anne-Claire Poirier; The time of a hunt (1972) and Good Riddance (1979) by Francis Mankiewicz; Louisiana (1984) by Philippe de Broca; Threshold (1981), No Mercy (1986) and Dead Man Out (1989) by Dick Pearce; The Great Land of Small (1986) by Vojtěch Jasný.

    Michel Brault made his first feature-length fiction film in 1967, with Entre la mer et l’eau douce. He then directed Les ordres (1974), a masterful film that earned him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival and four awards at the Palmarès du film canadien (predecessor of the Canadian Screen Awards).

    From 1974 to 1980, Michel Brault, with the filmmaker André Gladu, undertook the production of a 27-episode documentary series on the traditional music of French-speaking America.

    Then, he returned to fiction with Les noces de papier (1989), Montréal vu par… (co-directed, 1991), Shabbat Shalom! (1992), Mon amie Max (1994) and Quand je suis disparu… vous vivrez encore (1999). Michel Brault returned to documentary in 1996 with Ozias Leduc… like space and time, a one-hour film about the famous painter, then, in 2002, with La Manic.

    Michel Brault has received, for his entire body of work, the Victor-Morin Prize (Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal, 1975), the Molson Prize (Canada Council for the Arts, 1980), the Québec-Alberta Prize (1986), the Albert-Tessier Prize (Les Prix du Québec, 1986), the Governor General’s Award (1996) and the National Order of Québec (2003).

    – 30 –

    Lily RobertDirector, Communications and Public Affairs, ONFCell.: 514-296-8261l.robert@nfb.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Minister Champagne meets with Executive Vice-President Vestager in Montreal to strengthen strategic cooperation

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    Topics discussed included competition, artificial intelligence, digital partnerships and research opportunities.

    Topics discussed included competition, artificial intelligence, digital partnerships and research opportunities.

    September 25, 2024 – Montreal (Quebec)

    The Canada-European Union relationship is based on shared values, long-standing close cooperation and strong people-to-people ties. As key strategic partners, Canada and the European Union share a similar vision to ensure a responsible digital transition, make their economies more competitive and create jobs for the middle class.

    The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, met in Montreal with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age and Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, to discuss topics of mutual interest as well as bilateral and global issues, including artificial intelligence, economic security, digital partnerships, competition policy, and research and innovation.

    In the morning, they attended the unveiling of Anyon’s new MonarQ quantum computer at the École de technologie supérieure. The Minister emphasized that by continuing to invest in talented people, research and innovation, Canada and the European Union can solve some of the world’s greatest challenges and build a better future for the benefit of the community.

    Minister Champagne and Executive Vice-President Vestager also participated in an informal discussion organised by the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, during which they discussed the close relationship between Canada and the European Union, ongoing challenges on the global and domestic stage, and the collaboration that Canada and the European Union can demonstrate to establish fair markets and safe and responsible technologies.

    Audrey MilettePress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industryaudrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media RelationsInnovation, Science and Economic Development Canadamedia@ised-isde.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Sustainable Riverbank Improvements in Hiawatha First Nation

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    Press release

    Hiawatha First Nation, Ontario, September 25, 2024 — Hiawatha First Nation has been allocated more than $430,000 through the Natural Infrastructure Fund to restore more than 3 kilometres of shoreline along Rice Lake to protect wildlife and reduce shoreline erosion.

    By working with nature, Hiawatha First Nation supports and protects biodiversity and human well-being. This restoration project involves integrating native plants to reduce shoreline erosion while creating protected habitat for various frog and fish species, as well as the culturally significant wild rice. A medicinal plant garden, boardwalk, pier and benches will also provide easier access to nature, promote use of the shoreline for community cultural practices, and create a welcoming and relaxing space for the community.

    Hiawatha First Nation is working to restore the land not only to ensure a more sustainable future, but also to create a peaceful place where community members can enjoy nature and ensure the land and wildlife are protected for many generations to come.

    Quotes

    “I am honoured to support this investment in the shoreline restoration of Rice Lake in partnership with Hiawatha First Nation. Investing in infrastructure, such as this shoreline restoration project, is essential to ensuring the sustainability of our environment. This project will support biodiversity through the restoration of natural habitats for plants and animals and, through the development of a medicinal plant garden, will create a healthy, sustainable and welcoming environment for all members of the community.”

    The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Restoring shorelines with native species is essential for many reasons. First, it is our Creator’s responsibility to care for our waters, and when we restore lakeshores with native plants, we improve the health of our lakes. Shoreline restoration helps improve water quality by removing pollutants and nutrients from runoff. Additionally, restoring shorelines with native species creates healthy, stable ecosystems, which strengthen habitats and food chains. Shoreline restoration is about caring for the water, the land, and all living creatures.”

    Laurie Carr, Chief, Hiawatha First Nation

    Quick Facts

    The federal government is committed to making our communities more liveable, sustainable and resilient by investing in the protection and restoration of natural environments.

    The federal government is investing $437,500 in this project through the Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF).

    The Natural Infrastructure Fund supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, reduce carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and promote Canadians’ access to nature.

    Examples of natural infrastructure include urban forests, street trees, wetlands, living seawalls, biological seawalls, and naturalized coastal restoration.

    Hybrid infrastructure incorporates elements of artificial grey infrastructure to enhance or support natural infrastructure and/or the use of ecosystem processes. Examples of hybrid infrastructure include green roofs and walls, and naturalized storm basins.

    A minimum of 10% of the overall program envelope will be allocated to projects led by Indigenous people.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia OuslisCommunications AdvisorOffice of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada613-960-9251Toll free: 1-877-250-7154Email:media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us onTwitter,Facebook,InstagramAndLinkedInWebsite:Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Hayley Vogler Manager, Capital ProjectsHiawatha First Nation705-295-4421capitalmanager@hiawathafn.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thompson — Update – Thompson RCMP respond to shooting

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP have identified one of the suspects involved in the shooting and are asking for the public’s assistance in locating him.

    Tyrell Malique Porter, 21, from the Waterloo, Ontario area is described as 5’6′ tall and 132 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

    Porter is wanted on a warrant for multiple firearms offences and is considered armed and dangerous.

    Police believe that the female suspect also involved in the incident is still in the company of Porter.

    If you have information, please call Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909 Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

    On September 15, 2024, at approximately 10:15 pm, Thompson RCMP received a report of a two-vehicle motor vehicle collision that occurred on Perch Avenue in Thompson. While en route to the call, police were informed that a possible gun shot was heard.

    When officers arrived on scene, a 47-year-old male was found injured. Officers immediately provided emergency care. The male was transported to local hospital, where he was treated and has since been released.

    Investigation determined that the male had been driving a pickup truck that was in a collision with a SUV. The SUV followed the victim to a residence and a male suspect exited the SUV, produced a firearm, and shot at the victim. A neighbouring residence was also struck by projectiles from the firearm, but nobody inside was physically injured.

    After the shooting, the SUV fled the scene and was located soon after by police on Pike Crescent. The male suspect and a female suspect were seen by witnesses going into the residence. The residence was surrounded, and three individuals were taken into custody. However, none of the three individuals were determined to have been involved in the incident and were released. The two suspects were not located inside the residence.

    Thompson RCMP continue to look for the two suspects involved in the shooting. At this time, police do not have confirmed descriptions to provide.

    If you have information, please call Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Deeply personal NFB docs and animation showcased at the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Newfoundland filmmaker Tamara Segura’s National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Seguridad headlines an impressive selection of women’s cinema from the NFB at the 2024 St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF), taking place October 22–26.

    Powerful NFB lineup includes Newfoundland director Tamara Segura’s feature Seguridad and Halifax animator Andrea Dorfman’s short Hairy Legs

    September 24, 2024 – Halifax – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    Newfoundland filmmaker Tamara Segura’s National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Seguridad headlines an impressive selection of women’s cinema from the NFB at the 2024 St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF), taking place October 22–26.

    Seguridad was just named Best Atlantic Documentary at the Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax.

    From elsewhere in Atlantic Canada, Halifax filmmaker Andrea Dorfman’s new animated short Hairy Legs will screen at the festival.

    SJIWFF will also be presenting the Atlantic premieres of two feature docs from Toronto directors: Laurie Townshend’s A Mother Apart (Oya Media Group/NFB) and Anishinaabe filmmaker Lisa Jackson’s Wilfred Buck (Door Number 3 Productions/NFB).

    About the films

    Seguridad by Tamara Segura (76 min) | Friday, October 25, at 7 p.m., Majestic Theatre
    Producers: Annette Clarke and Rohan Fernando
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/seguridad

    • Once named “Cuba’s youngest soldier” in a publicity stunt, Newfoundland-based filmmakerTamara Segura explores her father’s troubled past and its connection to the Cuban Revolution. She returns to Cuba after four years away, camera in hand, hoping to make amends. But her father’s sudden death forces Segura to confront the past and the role Cuba’s highly militarized system played in his downfall.
    • Tamara Seguragraduated from the prestigious International Film School of San Antonio de los Baños (EICTV). Her films have received awards in Spain, Cuba, Canada and Mexico. Based in Newfoundland since 2012, Segura previously worked with the NFB on such films as Song for Cuba (2014) and Becoming Labrador (2018), and is an instructor at the College of the North Atlantic.

    Hairy Legs by Andrea Dorfman (17 min) | Friday, October 25, at 7 p.m., LSPU Hall
    Producers: Liz Cowie and Rohan Fernando
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/hairy-legs

    • Andrea Dorfman’s animated short film documents a 13-year-old girl’s small yet life-changing act of rebellion on the road to womanhood and feminism. Deciding not to shave her legs led the filmmaker to question and ultimately defy society’s expectations. With charm, warmth and humour, Hairy Legscaptures the universality of girls exploring gender, curiosity and freedom as they evolve from spending exuberant, carefree days on their bicycles to facing and defying stereotypes.
    • Andrea Dorfman has written and directed many award-winning documentaries, features and animated films, including the NFB-produced Flawed(2010), Big Mouth (2012) and feature doc The Girls of Meru (2018). Dorfman’s video collaborations with poet-musician Tanya Davis, How to Be Alone (2010) and How to Be at Home (2020), became YouTube sensations.

    A Mother Apart by Laurie Townshend (89 min) | Wednesday, October 23, at 7 p.m., LSPU Hall
    Producers: Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George (Oya Media Group); Justine Pimlott (NFB)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/a-mother-apart

    • How do you raise a child when your own mother abandoned you? In a remarkable story of healing and forgiveness, Jamaican-American poet and LGBTQ+ activist Staceyann Chin, renowned for performances in Def Poetry Slamand hit solo shows like MotherStruck!, radically re-imagines the essential art of mothering. In seeking her elusive mother—a trail that leads to Brooklyn, Montreal, Cologne and, finally, Jamaica—Staceyann and her daughter forge a new sense of home.
    • Laurie Townshendis a Toronto-based filmmaker, writer and educator. Her films centre on the human capacity to transform small acts of courage into quiet revolutions, as seen in the dramatic short The Railpath Hero (2013, TIFF Black Star Series), the unscripted series Human Frequency Streetdocs (2014) and the award-winning short doc Charley (2016).

    Wilfred Buck by Lisa Jackson (92 min) | Saturday, October 26, at 2:30 p.m., Majestic Theatre
    Producers: Lisa Jackson (Door Number 3 Productions), Lauren Grant (Clique Pictures); Alicia Smith (NFB)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/wilfred-buck

    • This hybrid, time-travelling road triptakes us into the stellar life of charismatic Cree Elder, star expert and ceremonial leader Wilfred Buck, adapted from Buck’s rollicking memoir I Have Lived Four Lives. Jackson’s portrait of Buck moves between earth and sky, past and present, bringing to life ancient teachings of Indigenous astronomy and cosmology to tell a story that spans generations. 
    • Lisa Jacksonis an Anishinaabe (Aamjiwnaang) filmmaker whose work has garnered two Canadian Screen Awards, been nominated for a Webby and screened at top festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, London BFI and Hot Docs. Her 2018 NFB VR experience Biidaaban: First Light was viewed by more than 25,000 people, while her film Indictment won Best Doc at imagineNATIVE. Jackson has been honoured with the 2022 Chicken & Egg Award as well as the 2021 DOC Vanguard Award.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: nfb.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    Lily Robert
    Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
    C.: 514-296-8261
    l.robert@nfb.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Climate change fuelling August heatwaves across Canada – Results from Canada’s Rapid Attribution System for Extreme Weather reveal that human-caused climate change has increased the likelihood of August heatwaves by at least 10-fold in some cases.

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Analyses using Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Rapid Attribution System for Extreme Weather Events show that, in all cases, human-induced climate change has increased the likelihood of the August 2024 heat waves, and in some cases by at least 10 times.

    September 25, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

    Analyses carried out using the Rapid attribution system for extreme weather events Environment and Climate Change Canada’s data show that, in all cases, human-caused climate change has increased the likelihood of August 2024 heat waves, and by at least 10 times in some cases.

    This system uses climate models to compare today’s climate to that of the pre-industrial period to explain how human-caused climate change has affected the likelihood of each heat wave.

    In three cases, human-induced climate change has made these heat waves significantly more likely. This means that human influence on the climate has made the following events at least ten times more likely.

    Inuvik (Northwest Territories) (August 6-10)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 26.5°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 13.0°C

    Kitikmeot (Nunavut) (August 7-12)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 25.0°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 12.4°C

    Kivalliq, Nunavut (August 8 to 14)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 27.1°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 12.2°C

    In seven cases, human-caused climate change made these heat waves much more likely. This means that human influence on the climate made the following events at least two to ten times more likely.

    Atlantic Canada (August 24-27)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 23.9°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 6.7°C

    Eastern Ontario (July 31 to August 2)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 29.2°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 5.8°C

    Fort Smith, Northwest Territories (August 8-13)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 26.9°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 9.2°C

    Northern British Columbia (August 7-11)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 23.6°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 7.0°C

    Northern Quebec (August 13 to 16)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 23.6°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 7.8°C

    Southern Quebec (July 27 to August 3)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 28.3°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 7.6°C

    Yukon (August 5-9)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 24.1°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 8.9°C

    Finally, human-caused climate change has made subsequent heat waves more likely. This means that human influence on the climate has made subsequent events at least one to two times more likely.

    Manitoba (July 30 to August 1)

    Daily peak temperature during heatwave: 28.3°C Degrees above normal daily maximum*: 6.4°C

    *The normal daily maximum is an average of all average daily maximum temperatures for a region between 1991 and 2020 over a one-month period around the event.

    Prolonged heat waves are a major factor driving increased wildfire activity in Canada. The 2023 wildfires in Canada burned nearly 15 million hectares of forest and cost Canadians tens of billions of dollars in damages.[1]. It is important to understand how human influence on climate has increased the likelihood of a particular heatwave shortly after it has occurred. This understanding helps inform adaptation strategies and intervention efforts in the context of climate change, while the heatwave and its impacts are still fresh in the mind.

    We urge the population to regularly monitor weather forecasts, to take all weather warnings seriously and to prepare weather hazards by developing an emergency plan or adapting their travel arrangements. Canadians can download the app WeatherCAN to receive weather alert notifications directly to their mobile devices. Weather alerts help Canadians prepare for severe weather, save lives and reduce impacts to property and livelihoods.

    [1] P. Jain, QE Barber, SW Taylor, et al., Drivers and Impacts of the Record-Breaking 2023 Wildfire Season in Canada, Nature Communications 15, 6764 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51154-7 (in English only)

    Media RelationsEnvironment and Climate Change Canada819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll free)media@ec.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dauphin — Dauphin RCMP make large seizure after traffic stop

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 22, 2024, at approximately 6:45 pm, Dauphin RCMP conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Mountain Avenue in Dauphin as part of an ongoing investigation. When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle by activating the lights and sirens on the police vehicle, the suspect vehicle fled at a high rate of speed.

    The suspect vehicle ran a red light on Main Street and struck another vehicle, and then spun and struck a 26-year-old male pedestrian. The suspect vehicle then continued and struck a parked vehicle. At this time, the driver and passenger fled on foot. The passenger was taken into custody a short while later.

    An RCMP drone operator and Police Service Dog Marook were engaged to track the driver, and located him after a track that led them across the Vermillion River.

    A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded shotgun, a large sum of Canadian currency, and a substance believed to be cocaine.

    An RCMP Forensic Collision Reconstructionist attended the scene where the vehicle and the pedestrian were struck to assist with that part of the investigation.

    The pedestrian was transported to local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and the driver of the vehicle that was struck was not physically injured.

    Samuel Flatfoot, 26, of Dauphin, was the driver and is charged with charged with Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Flight from Peace Officer, Resists/Obstructs Peace Officer, and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking.

    Marcus George, 22, of Swan River, was the passenger. He is charged with Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose, Resist/Obstructs Peace Officer x2, and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking.

    Both have been remanded.

    The investigation continues.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: ASIRT investigations concluded on four files

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    On Oct. 29, 2020, pursuant to Sec. 46.1 of the Police Act, ASIRT was directed to investigate an injury that occurred during an arrest by Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officers earlier that day.

    The assistant executive director’s full report can be accessed online.

    On Nov.16, 2020, ASIRT was directed to investigate an alleged assault causing bodily harm involving RCMP officers earlier that day.

    The executive director’s full report can be accessed online.

    On Jan. 22, 2021, ASIRT was directed to investigate an RCMP officer-involved shooting near Ardmore earlier that day.

    The assistant executive director’s full report can be accessed online.

    On May 5, 2023, ASIRT was directed to investigate a fatal EPS officer-involved shooting in Edmonton.

    The executive director’s full report can be accessed online.

    ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct. 

    This release is distributed by the Government of Alberta on behalf of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Ghost River location selected for new Bow River Reservoir

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Bow River runs through the most populated regions of Alberta, so managing water levels in this river is important to help the province respond to floods, droughts and other extreme weather. Past events like the 2013 floods have shown the importance of protecting communities downstream.

    After reviewing multiple options, the Alberta government has determined that the relocated Ghost Dam option is significantly better than the Glenbow East option due to its lower cost, ability to mitigate future droughts and floods, and fewer social and environmental impacts.

    Aerial view downstream of the existing Ghost Dam (Photo credit: WSP).

    “Increasing water storage capacity is critical to protecting Calgary and other communities along the Bow River from future floods and drought. Based on the data collected in the study, one option, the relocated Ghost Dam, is clearly the best choice to move forward with.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    In 2013, the southern Alberta flood caused more than $5 billion in damage in Calgary and surrounding communities. Creating additional water storage will significantly reduce the impact of severe weather events on Albertans who live and work around the Calgary area.

    After extensive study, Alberta’s government is moving forward with exploring the relocated Ghost Dam option because it has a smaller project footprint and fewer overall impacts to the environment, property and infrastructure, while providing comparable water storage to the Glenbow East option.

    The Glenbow East option posed higher risks to downstream communities during construction, including Calgary. Its earthfill dam would also be more susceptible to erosion and failure during large flood events compared to the Relocated Ghost Dam, which is a concrete gravity dam.

    Alberta will now move to the next phase of the project. Phase 3 is the engineering and regulatory approval phase, and more information on this work will be shared in 2025.

    Quick facts

    • A May 2017 report by the Bow River Working Group included a recommendation to complete conceptual assessments of three major reservoir options on the Bow River, upstream of Calgary.
      • Relocated Ghost Dam: An expansion of the existing Ghost Reservoir. 
      • Glenbow East: A new reservoir between Cochrane and the Bearspaw Dam at the western edge of Calgary. 
      • Morley: A new reservoir between Seebe and Morley, on Stoney Nakoda Nations reserve land. This option is no longer being pursued.
    • The potential selection and implementation of a reservoir option on the Bow River upstream of Calgary is being approached in four phases:
      • Phase 1: Conceptual Assessment
      • Phase 2: Feasibility Study
      • Phase 3: Engineering and Regulatory Approval Process
      • Phase 4: Procurement, Construction and Commissioning
    • In 2021, Alberta began engagement and field studies for Phase 2, the feasibility study. It assessed technical feasibility, while carefully considering a variety of social, environmental, cultural, traditional land use, engineering and economic elements. The final report will be released in early 2025.
    • An alternatives assessment was also conducted to determine if something other than a new reservoir could provide equivalent flood and drought protection. Options were evaluated, but none provided the water storage necessary to mitigate impacts from both floods and drought, without significant issues related to Treaty rights, environmental impacts and regulatory challenges.
    • The project will now transition from Alberta Environment and Protected Areas to Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors for Phase 3.
    • Along with the Bow River Reservoir, Alberta is also developing the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir to provide protection along the Elbow River in Calgary and other downstream communities as part of an overall flood mitigation system.

    Related information

    • Bow River Reservoir Options

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Assault on inmate at Kent Institution

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – MIL OSI Regional News in French

    On May 3, 2024, an inmate was assaulted at Kent Institution, a maximum-security federal facility.

    May 9, 2024 – Agassiz, British Columbia – Correctional Service Canada

    On May 3, 2024, an inmate was assaulted at Kent Institution, a maximum-security federal facility.

    The injured person was assessed by staff and transported to an outside hospital for treatment and has since returned to the facility.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Agassiz Detachment and the institution are currently investigating the incident.

    The attackers were identified and appropriate action was taken.

    No staff or other inmates were injured in the incident.

    The safety of institutions, staff and the public remains the top priority for those responsible for federal correctional system operations.

    In order to improve practices designed to prevent this type of incident, the Correctional Service of Canada will examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and take appropriate measures.

    Kim MacPhersonAssistant Director, Management ServicesKent Institution604-796-4417

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Government of Canada to make announcement on skilled trades

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – MIL OSI Regional News in French

    Minister of Citizens’ Services Terry Beech will be in Burnaby to make an announcement to support skilled workers. The announcement will be made on behalf of Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault.

    Citizens’ Services Minister Terry Beech will be in Burnaby to make an announcement to support skilled trades workers.

    The announcement will be made on behalf of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault.

    A photo opportunity and press briefing will follow the announcement. Please note that details are subject to change and all times are local.

    Date: Friday, August 16, 2024

    Time: 11:10 AM (PDT)

    Location: British Columbia Institute of Technology Piping Trades Building NE6 (North Entrance) 3700 Willingdon Avenue Burnaby, BC

    To register, send an email to media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca by indicating your name and press office before 10 a.m. (PDT) on Friday, August 16, 2024.

    – 30 –

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Media Advisory: Infrastructure Announcement in Richmond

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – MIL OSI Regional News in French

    Media Advisory

    Richmond, BC, May 10, 2024 — Members of the media are invited to an infrastructure announcement with Parm Bains, Member of Parliament for Steveston-Richmond East, Wilson Miao, Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre, Kelly Greene, Member of Provincial Parliament for Richmond-Steveston, and Malcolm Brodie, Mayor of the City of Richmond.

    Date: Friday, May 10, 2024

    Time: 9:30 a.m. (PT)

    Location: City Hall, Gallery (Main Hall) 6911 No. 3 Road Richmond, BC V6Y 2C1

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Micaal AhmedManager, CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities343-598-3920micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca

    Media RelationsInfrastructure Canada613-960-9251Toll Free: 1-877-250-7154Email: media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram And LinkedInWebsite:Infrastructure Canada

    Media RelationsBC Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Preparedness250-880-6430

    Clay Adams, ABC, APRDirector, Municipal Communications and MarketingCity of RichmondPhone: 604-276-4399Cell: 604-202-8789

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: NFB at St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    This year’s St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival will be held October 22-26 and will feature the feature documentary Seguridad by Newfoundland National Film Board filmmaker Tamara Segura, as well as an impressive selection of works directed by NFB creators.

    Feature film Seguridad, by Newfoundland director Tamara Segura, and short film Hairy Legs, by Halifax animator Andrea Dorfman, will be presented

    September 24, 2024 – Halifax – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    This year, the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival will be held from October 22 to 26 and will highlight feature-length documentaries Security, from Newfoundland filmmakerNational Film Board Tamara Segura, as well as an impressive selection of works directed by NFB creators.

    Seguridad has just won the award for best Atlantic documentary at the Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax.

    In St. John’s, the public will also be able to discover the new animated short film Hairy Legs, the work of another Atlantic Canadian filmmaker, Andrea Dorfman, based in Halifax.

    The festival will also present the Atlantic premieres of two feature-length documentaries by Toronto-based women directors: A Mother Apart (Oya Media Group/ONF), by Laurie Townshend, and Wilfred Buck (Door Number 3 Productions/NFB), by Anishinaabe filmmaker Lisa Jackson.

    The movies

    Seguridad, Tamara Segura (76 min) | Friday October 25, 7 p.m., Majestic Theater Production: Annette Clarke and Rohan FernandoPress kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/seguridad

    In Seguridad, Newfoundland filmmaker Tamara Segura, once dubbed “Cuba’s youngest soldier” for a publicity stunt, portrays her troubled relationship with her father, set against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution. After four years away, she returns to Cuba with her camera in hand, hoping to reconcile with him. But Jorge’s sudden death just days after her arrival pushes her to examine her father’s troubled past and the role Cuba’s heavily militarized regime played in his downfall. Tamara Segura is a graduate of the prestigious International Film and Television School in San Antonio de los Baños. Her films have won awards in Spain, Cuba, Canada and Mexico. Based in Newfoundland since 2012, she previously created the works A song for Cuba(2014) andTo the rhythm of Labrador(2018). She teaches at the College of the North Atlantic.

    Hairy Legs, Andrea Dorfman (17 min) | Friday 25 October, 7pm, LSPU Hall Producer: Liz Cowie and Rohan FernandoPress kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/poil-aux-jambes

    Andrea Dorfman’s animated short film chronicles a 13-year-old girl’s modest but pivotal act of rebellion as she journeys through femininity and toward feminism. When she chooses not to shave her legs, the budding filmmaker is led to question and ultimately defy society’s expectations. Leg Haircaptures with charm, humor, and tenderness the universal dimension of young teenage girls’ exploration of identity and curiosity. Their carefree childhood spent on bicycles with their heads in the clouds is soon followed by a desire to challenge stereotypes. Andrea Dorfman has written and directed numerous award-winning documentaries, feature films, and animated films, includingImperfect(2010),Disjointed mouth(2012) andThe Young Girls of Meru(2018), produced by the NFB. His short films How to Be Alone (2010) andAt home (2020), made in collaboration with poet Tanya Davis, became a sensation on YouTube.

    A Mother Apart, Laurie Townshend (89 min) | Wednesday, October 23, 7 p.m., LSPU HallProduced by: Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George (Oya Media Group); Justine Pimlott (NFB)Press Kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/une-mere-a-part

    How do you raise a child when you yourself have been deprived of a mother figure? In this extraordinary tale of forgiveness and healing, the art of motherhood is radically reimagined by poet and LGBTQ activist Staceyann Chin, a central figure in the contemporary Black American spoken word scene. In search of the woman who abandoned her, Staceyann travels from Brooklyn to Montreal to Cologne to Jamaica, and along the way builds a new sense of belonging with her daughter. Filmmaker, writer, and educator Laurie Townshend lives in Toronto. Her films explore the human capacity to transform small acts of courage into quiet revolutions, as evidenced in the dramatic short The Railpath Hero (2013, TIFF, BlackStar Series), the improvised series Human Frequency Streetdocs (2014), and the award-winning short Charley (2016).

    Wilfred Buck, Lisa Jackson (92 min) | Saturday October 26, 2:30 p.m., Majestic Theater Production: Lisa Jackson (Door Number 3 Productions), Lauren Grant (Click Pictures) ; Alicia Smith (NFB)press kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/wilfred-buck

    This hybrid documentary travels back in time to the extraordinary life of charismatic Cree elder Wilfred Buck, a renowned stargazer and ceremonial officiant. It is an adaptation of the protagonist’s exuberant memoir, I Have Lived Four Lives. Lisa Jackson’s portrait moves between earth and sky, past and present, reviving centuries-old teachings of Indigenous astronomy and cosmology to tell a story that unfolds across generations. Winner of two Canadian Screen Awards and nominated for a Webby, Anishinaabe (Aamjiwnaang) filmmaker Lisa Jackson has had her films screened at major festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, London BFI and Hot Docs. The VR experienceBiidaaban: First Light, which she created in 2018 for the NFB, has been viewed by over 25,000 people. Her film Indictment won the Best Documentary Award at the imagineNATIVE festival. Lisa Jackson has also been awarded the Chicken Award

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online viewing space at NFB.caFacebook NFB | NFB Twitter | Instagram NFB | ONF Blog | YouTube NFB | Vimeo NFBCurator’s Perspective | The filmmakers’ words

    The NFB in brief

    Lily RobertDirector, Communications and Public Affairs, ONFCell.: 514-296-8261l.robert@nfb.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The NFB at the 2024 Festival du nouveau cinéma. Three films selected, including the world premiere of the compelling documentary Les enfants du large by Virginia Tangvald.

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is back at the Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) this year with three films, including two in competition. The feature Les enfants du large (Ghosts of the Sea, micro_scope/NFB/Urban Factory), the only documentary in the National Competition section, will screen as a world premiere.

    September 24, 2024 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is back at the Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) this year with three films, including two in competition. The feature Les enfants du large (Ghosts of the Sea, micro_scope/NFB/Urban Factory), the only documentary in the National Competition section, will screen as a world premiere. Filmed all over the world, it charts director Virginia Tangvald’s fascinating quest to unravel a family mystery. Tangvald won the Pitch Premières Œuvres session, presented by Netflix at the FNC Forum, when she pitched the film in 2020. Meanwhile, Ehsan Gharib’s animated short Samaa (NFB), which will have its Quebec premiere, explores the transcendent power of music and movement. The festival will also screen the restored version of Michel Brault’s masterful Les ordres to mark the 50th anniversary of this landmark of Quebec cinema. The 53rd FNC takes place in Montreal from October 9 to 20, 2024.

    National Competition

    Les enfants du large (Ghosts of the Sea) by Virginia Tangvald (97 min) – WORLD PREMIERE
     Screenings: Cinéma du Musée, Monday, October 14, at 7 p.m. (original version with English subtitles); Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin Cinema, Friday, October 18, at 6:30 p.m. (original version with French subtitles)

    A Canada-France co-production produced by micro_scope (Isabelle Couture and Élaine Hébert) with the NFB (Nathalie Cloutier) and Urban Factory (Frédéric Corvez and Maéva Savinien)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/ghosts-of-the-sea

    • While searching for clues about the death of her brother Thomas, who was lost at sea, Virginia Tangvald embarks on a fascinating, cinematic investigation into her family’s dark secrets. Calling into question the idyllic life of her father, legendary sailor Peter Tangvald, her quest dismantles the myth of absolute freedom. At the end of a courageous journey that’s both deeply personal and universal, she finds hope that a toxic cycle has been broken.
    • Born in the Caribbean Sea, Virginia Tangvald grew up in Montreal, where she studied theatre and classical guitar before settling on filmmaking as her art of choice. After graduating from INIS in 2015, she made several short films and videos for Montreal bands. She now lives in Paris. Les enfants du large, a fascinating quest to uncover the dark secrets of her family and her father, the famous adventurer Peter Tangvald, is her first feature documentary.

    Les nouveaux alchimistes Short Film Competition

    Samaa by Ehsan Gharib (2 min 27 s) – QUEBEC PREMIERE
     Screenings in a short-film program: Cinémathèque québécoise, Sunday, October 13, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 17, at 5 p.m.

    Produced by the NFB (Maral Mohammadian)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/samaa

    • A caged bird, yearning to fly, finds release through the transcendent power of music and movement. Revelling in the magic and mechanics of cinema, Ehsan Gharib crafts a striking, hand-painted animated short on the themes of freedom and ecstasy. In Iranian culture, samaa is the meditative practice of achieving a spiritual awakening through rhythm and movement. The film had its world premiere at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
    • Iranian-born Ehsan Gharib integrates photography, animation and design into his cinema. He created the animation for the award-winning NFB production Oscar(2016), Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre’s portrait of Oscar Peterson, and was part of the animation teams for the feature Jasmine Road (2020) and Disney-produced Disenchanted (2022). His directorial debut, the experimental short Deyzangeroo (2017), won a Golden Dove at DOK Leipzig. In Samaa (2024), he continues to experiment with the interplay between music and animated film.

    Histoire(s) du cinéma section

    Les ordres (Orders) by Michel Brault (1974, 107 min)
    Screenings: Cinémathèque québécoise, Wednesday, October 16, at 7 p.m. (original French version with English subtitles)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/orders

    This masterwork of Quebec cinema celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The NFB is pleased and proud to be distributing the film to festivals, film clubs and other venues, in a version recently restored by Éléphant: mémoire du cinéma québécois.

    Drawing on the testimonies of some 50 civilians who were detained after the War Measures Act was invoked in Quebec in October 1970, Les ordres (Orders) blurs the line between documentary and drama to tell the story of five fictional characters (three men and two women) from their arrest through to their release. The film won the award for Best Director at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: NFB.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    Lily Robert
    Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
    C.: 514-296-8261| l.robert@nfb.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Mourns Loss of Labor, Civil Rights Leader Bill Lucy

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2024 – Brian Bryant, International President of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), released the following statement on the passing of Bill Lucy:

    “Bill Lucy was the epitome of a change-maker and justice warrior. From helping to lead AFSCME and the Memphis sanitation worker strike to his founding of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists to helping fight for freedom and equality in the United States, Canada, and around the world, Brother Bill was a champion for all working people.

    “The IAM could always count on Bill Lucy as an ally in the righteous fight for human rights, civil rights, workers’ rights, and much more. He will go rightfully down in the history books of the labor movement as a giant for the betterment of all people. Rest in power, Brother Bill.”

    The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.

    goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Struggling to make decisions at work? Learn how to build confidence

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Leda Stawnychko, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Organizational Theory, Mount Royal University

    A lack of experience often causes new leaders to hold back, intimidated by the fear of making mistakes. (Shutterstock)

    One of the most daunting tasks for new leaders is making decisions that impact others. Although the average person makes thousands of conscious decisions each day — some estimates suggest as many as 35,000 — when it comes to making decisions in the workplace, many hesitate.

    A lack of experience often causes new leaders to hold back, intimidated by the fear of making mistakes. The stakes can feel high, as their choices can have far-reaching consequences, not only for themselves but also for the organization and its employees.

    New leaders might face decisions such as delegating responsibilities among team members, prioritizing projects with limited resources or managing conflicts between employees.

    With time and practice, leaders learn to develop decisiveness — the ability to listen to their intuition for making effective, quick decisions. Decisiveness is not about being rash, but about having the confidence to act based on evidence and experience.

    Effective decision-makers balance competing priorities and options while staying deeply aware of the needs of their stakeholders, from employees and colleagues to customers and investors. Once they reach a decision, they follow through with firm, resolute action.

    A bar above the rest

    What sets effective leaders apart is their ability to consistently make decisions that drive organizational success. These leaders understand the difference between operational and strategic decisions, and how each serves a different purpose.

    Operational decisions deal with immediate concerns, focusing on day-to-day activities that require quick responses to keep the business running smoothly. For example, an operational decision might involve addressing a staffing shortage, resolving a technical issue or adjusting a production schedule.

    Strategic decisions, on the other hand, are more complex, involve higher risks and require a broader perspective. They focus on the future direction of the organization and may involve a careful assessment of external factors, such as launching a new product or restructuring a department.

    Building decision-making skills

    But how do emerging leaders develop the skill to confidently make decisions, especially when there are many possible options? To build a strong foundation for decisive leadership, consider these three practical strategies:

    1. Clarify your values

    Understanding your core values is crucial for effective and ethical decision-making. When you and your staff are clear on what matters most to you, decision-making becomes easier.

    For example, if you believe in transparency, you will communicate the decision-making process and outcomes to your team. They will trust that even if they don’t all agree with your decision, they’ll be informed promptly and consistently.

    To gain clarity about your values, reflect on past decisions, consider what felt right or wrong, and identify common themes that guided your actions. You can also use one of the many free assessments available online.

    ‘How to make faster decisions’ from TED’s the Way We Work video series.

    2. Use a decision-making framework

    There are several tools to help guide confident decision-making, especially early in your career. One simple and effective option is the 5 Ws Framework.

    The framework helps leaders think through these essential questions: Who will be affected? What are the available options? When does the decision need to be made? Why is this decision necessary? And how will the decision be executed?

    Using this framework helps emerging leaders quickly assess all angles of a situation and make thoughtful decisions that ensure no critical factors are missed.

    3. Learn from your network

    One of the most effective ways to develop leadership skills is by learning from others. Observe how your peers and more experienced leaders make decisions, ask them insightful questions and seek their feedback on your own decisions.

    Reflecting on your interactions with them can help you refine your decision-making style and identify areas for growth. It can also help you become more comfortable with ambiguity, risk and uncertainty. The support from your network will boost your confidence and provide much-needed encouragement in times of doubt.

    Other things to keep in mind

    Leaders in AI-integrated workplaces will need not only strong decision-making skills but also the ability to apply a critical ethical lens.

    Artificial intelligence offers many opportunities to accelerate decision-making and improve efficiency. However, the interconnectedness of algorithms, people and data also brings with it complex ethical and sustainability problems.

    To avoid the unintended consequences of AI such as algorithmic bias or privacy violations, leaders across all sectors must carefully evaluate the ethical implications of all decisions and ensure they align with principles of fairness and long-term sustainability.

    An explanation of AI ethics from IBM Technology.

    In technology-dependent workplaces, emotional intelligence becomes a crucial asset. Leaders who are self-aware and in tune with their emotions can pause to make thoughtful, deliberate decisions, instead of reacting impulsively.

    Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing and meditation, can help maintain focus and clarity, particularly in situations of high pressure. A clear and centred mind allows leaders to make decisions that align with ethical standards and the long-term interests of people, the planet and profit.

    As you continue to develop your leadership skills, be patient with yourself and remember that leader development is a life-long journey of growth. To help you stay sharp and avoid decision fatigue, prioritize self-care taking time to rest, recharge and reflect.

    By practicing these strategies, staying true to your values, and leaning on your network, you’ll build the confidence you need to tackle any challenge that comes your way. Embrace the process, take care of yourself and trust that each decision you make brings you closer to becoming the decisive leader you aspire to be.

    Leda Stawnychko receives funding from SSHRC.

    MacDonald Oguike does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Struggling to make decisions at work? Learn how to build confidence – https://theconversation.com/struggling-to-make-decisions-at-work-learn-how-to-build-confidence-239183

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: The NFB at the 2024 Festival du nouveau cinéma. Three films selected, including the captivating documentary Les enfants du large by Virginia Tangvald, presented as a world premiere.

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The National Film Board of Canada is back at the Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) with three films, two of which are in competition. Virginia Tangvald’s feature film Les enfants du large (micro_scope/NFB/Urban Factory), presenting its world premiere and the only documentary in the National Competition section, is a fascinating family investigation shot in the four corners of the world.

    September 24, 2023 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    L’National Film Board of Canada is back at New Cinema Festival (FNC) with three films, two of which are in competition. The feature film Children of the open sea (microscope/NFB/Urban Factory) by Virginia Tangvald, presented in world premiere and the only documentary in the National Competition section, is a fascinating family investigation shot in the four corners of the world. The director had also won the Pitch First Works Award presented by Netflix at the FNC Forum in 2020 for this film. For its part, the animated short film Samaa (NFB) by Ehsan Gharib, screened in its Quebec premiere, explores the transcendent power of music and movement. The restored version of the masterful The orders by Michel Brault will also be presented to mark the 50th anniversary of the release of this masterpiece of Quebec cinema. The 53rd FNC will take place in Montreal from October 9 to 20, 2024.

    National competition

    Virginia Tangvald’s Children of the Sea (97 min) – WORLD PREMIERE Screenings: Cinéma du Musée, Monday, October 14 at 7 p.m. (original version with English subtitles); Cinéma Cineplex Odeon Quartier latin, Friday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m. (original version with French subtitles)

    A Canada-France co-production produced by micro_scope (Isabelle Couture and Élaine Hébert) with the NFB (Nathalie Cloutier) and Urban Factory (Frédéric Corvez and Maéva Savinien)Press kit: espacemedia.onf.ca/epk/les-enfants-du-large

    Following in the footsteps of her brother Thomas, who disappeared at sea, Virginia Tangvald offers a captivating and cinematographically beautiful investigation into the dark secrets of her family. Questioning the legendary idyllic life of her father, the sailor Peter Tangvald, her quest debunks the myth of absolute freedom. At the end of her courageous approach, as intimate as it is universal, emerges the hope of having broken a toxic cycle. Born on the Caribbean Sea, Virginia Tangvald grew up in Montreal, where she studied theater and classical guitar performance before adopting cinema as her chosen art. A graduate of INIS in 2015, she has directed several short fiction films and music videos for Montreal groups. She now lives in Paris. Les enfants du large, a fascinating investigation that seeks to uncover the dark secrets of her family and her father, the famous adventurer Peter Tangvald, is her first feature-length documentary.

    The New Alchemists Competition – Short Film

    Samaa by Ehsan Gharib (2 min 27 s) – QUEBEC PREMIERE Screenings in the short film program: Cinémathèque québécoise, Sunday, October 13 at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, October 17 at 5 p.m.

    An ONF production (Maral Mohammadian)Press kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/samaa

    A caged bird, yearning to fly, finds freedom through the transcendent power of music and movement. In this striking, hand-painted animated short, Ehsan Gharib celebrates the magic and mechanics of cinema. In Iranian culture, samaa is a meditative practice of achieving spiritual enlightenment through rhythm and movement. The film had its world premiere at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Iranian-born Ehsan Gharib integrates photography, animation and design into his films. He created the animation for the award-winning NFB productionOscar(2016), a portrait of Oscar Peterson by Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre, and is part of the animation teams of the feature film Jasmine Road (2020) and Disenchanted (2022), produced by Disney. His first directorial effort, the experimental short filmDeyzangeroo(2017), won the Golden Dove at DOK Leipzig. In Samaa, he continues to experiment with the interaction between music and animated cinema.

    History(ies) of cinema

    Michel Brault’s Orders (1974, 107 min)Screening: Cinémathèque québécoise, Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. (original French version with English subtitles)Press kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/les-ordres

    This masterpiece of Quebec cinema celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The NFB is proud to distribute the restored version by Elephant: memory of Quebec cinema at festivals, film clubs and other venues.

    Halfway between fiction and documentary, Les ordres is based on the testimony of around fifty people imprisoned following the application of war measures in October 1970. We follow five characters (three men and two women) constructed from these testimonies, from their arrest to their release. The film won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1975.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online viewing space at NFB.caFacebook NFB | NFB Twitter | Instagram NFB | ONF Blog | YouTube NFB | Vimeo NFBCurator’s Perspective | The filmmakers’ words

    The NFB in brief

    Lily RobertDirector, Communications and Public Affairs, ONFCell.: 514-296-8261l.robert@nfb.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 4294, Cross Border Aerial Law Enforcement Operations Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 4294 would authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a program to conduct joint aerial law enforcement operations along the northern border of the United States and increase communication and collaboration with Canada. Under the bill, such a program could only be established pursuant to a bilateral agreement with the Canadian government. S. 4294 would require DHS to report to the Congress within 30 days of implementing the program about its scope and within two years of enactment if DHS fails to establish the program. Lastly, S. 4294 would require DHS to report to the Congress on the use of unmanned aircraft systems at the northern border. 

    Based on the time it took to implement similar agreements, CBO expects that DHS would begin to incur costs in 2025 but not fully implement the program until 2026. Using information from DHS, CBO estimates that the department would need five people each year, at an average annual cost of about $230,000 per employee in 2025, for a total of $6 million in personnel costs over the 2024-2029 period. Additionally, based on the department’s current spending on aircraft fuel and maintenance, CBO estimates that DHS would need $2 million over the 2024-2029 period to fund additional aerial operations. In total, CBO estimates that implementing S. 4294 would cost $8 million over the 2024-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: B.C.’s plan for involuntary addiction treatment is a step back in our response to the overdose crisis

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kora DeBeck, Professor, School of Public Policy; Dorothy Killam Fellow; CIHR Applied Public Health Chair, Simon Fraser University

    British Columbia Premier David Eby recently announced that his government plans to open highly secure facilities where people struggling with mental health, serious brain injuries and severe addictions will receive involuntary care.

    The B.C. government describes the move as a new phase of its response to the addiction crisis that includes a promise to change the law to “ensure that people, including youth, can and should receive care when they are unable to seek it themselves.”

    Unregulated drugs kill an average of six British Columbians every day. Since a public health emergency was declared in 2016, more than 15,000 people in B.C. have died from consuming unregulated drugs.

    Interventions and services

    Policymakers along with affected communities are struggling to identify, implement and scale up necessary interventions and services. Many highlight that we need all the tools in our toolkit to respond to this unprecedented crisis.

    Currently, involuntary admissions to care facilities are possible for people with a “disorder of the mind” through B.C.’s Mental Health Act. Between 2011-12 and 2020-21, the number of voluntary admissions in B.C. remained relatively stable (10,000 to 12,000) but involuntary admissions increased from 11,000 to more than 17,000 during this time period.

    Expanding involuntary care to people with addictions is intuitively appealing to some. Supporters of the idea position it as compassionate intervention that keeps the most vulnerable safe. But drug addiction and treatment are complex.

    While parents, policymakers and others rightfully want to do everything they can to protect young people from harmful drugs, in the long run, involuntary treatment will cause more harm than good.

    Involuntary treatment is dangerous

    Scientific evidence is lacking that supports involuntary addiction treatment as an effective approach for reducing substance use and related harms among vulnerable populations. A 2020 study of more than 3,000 people who use drugs in Vancouver found no significant improvements in substance use outcomes among those who were coerced into addiction treatment compared to people who received no treatment.

    We also know that substance dependence is a complex chronic condition and relapse is common. Relapse after a period of abstinence is a particularly dangerous time due to reduced tolerance. Indeed, the risk of overdose death has been found to be highest immediately after discharge from compulsory care, voluntary treatment and hospitals, as well as upon release from prison.

    A lack of effectiveness paired with serious increased risk of a fatal overdose, particularly in the era of illicit fentanyl, are not the only weaknesses of involuntary treatment for people with addictions.

    Involuntary treatment can undermine trust

    Accounts from young people who have experienced being coerced into treatment highlight that involuntary care can be counterproductive and risks pushing vulnerable young people away from the very services they need most.

    After consulting with young people who use drugs, the B.C. Representative for Children and Youth in 2021 cautioned that involuntary care “may create distress in young people to the extent that they may come to distrust the health-care system and be less inclined to seek support when it is needed.”

    Research scientist Danya Fast, who has more than a decade of experience working with young people who use drugs, has described seeing “the lengths that some young people would go to in order to evade or escape from [institutional] places, often with devastating effects. I knew that even the threat of involuntary hospitalization could lead some to avoid calling 911 if someone was overdosing and needed help.”

    Furthermore, a 2023 qualitative study with parents who resorted to involuntary treatment in Alberta describes how for some, forcing their child into treatment harmed their relationship, and for many, did not result in improvements in their children’s risky substance use behaviours.

    Addiction treatment in the era of fentanyl

    In the context of forced addiction treatment, it’s important to recognize that the effectiveness of current medications for opioid dependence (typically methadone and suboxone) is limited, particularly for young people.

    In a study among young people who used opioids in Vancouver between 2005-2018, initiating an opioid agonist therapy (primarily methadone or suboxone) was not found to be protective for non-fatal overdose. In addition, 60 per cent of young people who initiated methadone prematurely discontinue their treatment.

    This is consistent with emerging evidence from B.C. indicating that retention on methadone and suboxone have both been consistently declining over the last decade, which corresponds to the emergence of illicitly manufactured fentanyl in the province.

    Given the volatility of street drugs and increasing exposure to and dependence on highly potent fentanyl, the clinical management of opioid dependence is increasingly complex. This reality makes forcing people into addiction treatment against their will particularly concerning.

    There is also widespread evidence that the existing voluntary addiction treatment system is inadequate and fails to provide appropriate care. It is our view that resources are better directed towards improving the existing voluntary treatment system and ensuring there are comprehensive supports available throughout the continuum of care.

    Alternatives to involuntary treatment

    The safety of our children and communities would be enhanced if governments strengthened and expanded the voluntary treatment system and evidence-based prevention programs. Substance dependence is a chronic relapsing condition. Therefore, accessible harm reduction programs and addressing the toxic supply of drugs are critical steps to prevent overdose deaths and other drug related harms.

    B.C.’s provincial health officer issued a report in July 2024 outlining how a public health approach could be leveraged to provide alternatives to the toxic drug supply.

    While some may think we have already tried drug regulation, current prescribed “safe” supply programs include less than five per cent of the estimated 115,000 people in B.C. with an opioid use disorder.

    Analyses of overdose fatalities also indicate that the majority of people who died from drug poisonings did not have a diagnosed opioid use disorder or use opioids on a daily basis. These individuals would not have been eligible for existing prescribed safe supply.

    This underscores that current initiatives are not reaching the vast majority of the population at risk of a toxic drug poisoning. There are also many different approaches and models that could be considered for drug regulation.

    As we have outlined previously, innovation and transformational policy action to strictly regulate the production, distribution and consumption of currently illegal drugs is a promising way forward.



    Read more:
    Drug prohibition is fuelling the overdose crisis: Regulating drugs is the way out

    We empathize and relate to parents and caregivers who want to do everything possible to protect their children. However, we cannot “treat” our way out of our current crisis and involuntary treatment is a particularly risky and harmful tool.

    Evidence-based interventions across the pillars of early prevention, voluntary treatment and harm reduction, along with rigorous drug regulation that tightly controls the production, distribution and consumption of currently illegal drugs, will give us the most control over the toxic drug supply. This mix of foundational and innovative public health tools will be best positioned to reduce risky substance use and related health and social harms.

    Kora DeBeck receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the US National Institutes of Health and the National Killam Program. She is also a Research Scientist with the BC Centre on Substance Use.

    Perry Kendall was a cofounder of Fair Price Pharma, a not-for-profit dedicated to providing low-cost Canadian access to diacetylmorphine morphine as a treatment option for individuals whose treatment needs are not met by first-line available medications for opioid substance use disorder. He is no longer on the board, but remains a vocal advocate for the expansion of evidence-based therapeutics for opioid substance use disorder.

    – ref. B.C.’s plan for involuntary addiction treatment is a step back in our response to the overdose crisis – https://theconversation.com/b-c-s-plan-for-involuntary-addiction-treatment-is-a-step-back-in-our-response-to-the-overdose-crisis-239367

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Introducing the Rate of Last Resort

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “Alberta has a unique competitive electricity market, which gives Albertans the power to choose the best energy provider, plan, and payment option to fit their needs. Consumers can purchase their power from over 50 competitive retailers, with the choice of either fixed or variable rate contracts.

    Albertans who don’t sign a competitive contract are automatically enrolled on the Rate of Last Resort from their local provider, which in the past has tended to be more expensive and volatile than competitive options.

    Alberta’s government is taking action to protect Alberta’s ratepayers and lower utility bills by helping consumers be better informed of their energy options. New regulations and legislation are set to come into effect on January 1, 2025, to help Albertans better understand their energy options and encourage them to find the rate best-suited to meet their needs. Following the Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, the default electricity rate is being renamed from the Regulated Rate Option (RRO) to the Rate of Last Resort (ROLR). The name change better reflects the nature of the rate consumers are paying and is part of ongoing consumer awareness initiatives.

    “Utility bills can make or break a tight budget when every nickel and dime counts. Our government is giving Albertans the tools needed to help save more their hard-earned dollars and make their monthly costs more predictable, while protecting the most vulnerable from sudden price spikes.”

    Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Affordability and Utilities

    To ensure Albertans are better informed about their electricity rate options, Alberta’s government has also introduced a rate confirmation requirement. The Utilities Consumer Advocate, under the Ministry of Affordability and Utilities, will contact all customers on the Rate of Last Resort every 90 days to confirm whether they would like to stay on the Rate of Last Resort and encourage them to explore their options. Rate of Last Resort providers will also be required to clearly indicate on customer bills that they are on the Rate of Last Resort, inform customers of their options in the competitive retail market, and update the terms and conditions of their service agreements.

    “Alberta’s unique electricity market gives consumers choice in their energy providers and plans. These new regulations bring more clarity and stability to default electricity rates so that Albertans can choose with confidence.”

    Chantelle de Jonge, parliamentary secretary, Affordability and Utilities

    However, not all Albertans are able to sign a competitive contract. In some rural areas, the Rate of Last Resort may be a consumer’s only option to receive power. Poor credit or other financial difficulties also may prohibit Albertans, often seniors and other vulnerable populations, from signing a competitive contract. Currently, the Rate of Last Resort varies month-to-month based on market prices and is approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission, not the government. To protect these customers from sudden and volatile price spikes, the Rate of Last Resort will be set every two years and can only be changed by a maximum of 10 per cent between the 2-year terms starting January 1, 2025. Through these new regulations, Alberta’s government is making the Rate of Last Resort more stable and predictable for Albertans unable to sign a competitive contract.

    “The team at the Utilities Consumer Advocate is available to help consumers understand Alberta’s retail energy market, including these changes, and help them identify options that will work best for their household, farm, or small business.”

    Chris Hunt, Utilities Consumer Advocate

    Albertans are encouraged to explore their options and find the competitive rate best-suited to their needs. Last year, tens of thousands of households moved off the Rate of Last Resort to competitive contracts for a more affordable option. Albertans who are looking for help with their utility bills or are experiencing a dispute with their provider should contact the Utilities Consumer Advocate at 310-4855 or through their website.

    Quick facts

    • Albertans have three options when purchasing their electricity and natural gas utilities: the Rate of Last Resort, a competitive contract for a variable rate, or a competitive contract for a fixed rate.
      • The Rate of Last Resort is approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) and is not determined by the government. Learn more about the rate setting process and current rates on the AUC’s website.
    • Approximately 26 per cent of residential customers purchase electricity through the Rate of Last Resort.
    • Approximately 29 per cent of eligible commercial customers and 40 per cent of farm customers purchase electricity through the Rate of Last Resort.

    Related information

    • Utilities Consumer Advocate
    • Alberta Utilities Commission

    Related news

    • Power rates slashed in half by new market rules (Sep 5, 2024)
    • Power watchdog supports Alberta’s electricity market reforms (Aug 5, 2024)
    • Preventing power price spikes (Jun 26, 2024)
    • Making utility bills more affordable (Apr 22, 2024)
    • Making electricity more affordable (Apr 18, 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Port of Vancouver grain terminal strike: Joint statement

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “Alberta’s government is extremely concerned about the grain terminal labour disruption at Canada’s largest port, the Port of Vancouver. Harvest is underway, and each day this strike continues will have far-reaching impacts on our agriculture industry, the supply chain and Canada’s economy.

    “A strike at the West Coast terminals has the potential to back up the entire grain-handling system. Local elevators may stop taking grain and farmers have limited abilities to store grain on their farms for extended periods of time. This could lead to spoilage or severe quality downgrades for the grain, causing financial hardship for both farmers and grain handlers.

    “While we respect the collective bargaining process and understand the parties have agreed to resume negotiations alongside federal mediators, the damage caused by this disruption will be devastating to our grain handling industry, disrupting about $35 million of grain exports each day the work stoppage continues, including $11 million of Alberta exports.

    “Alberta has one of Canada’s most competitive agriculture sectors and our producers rely on grain terminal systems to remain up and running to meet international demand. According to the Grain Growers of Canada, more than 52 per cent of the grain produced in Canada was shipped through terminals at the Port of Vancouver last year.

    “Our grain supply feeds Canadians and millions of people around the world. A prolonged work stoppage could undermine Canada’s position as one of the world’s most stable and reliable food suppliers. Over the past year, the world watched as labour disruptions in federally regulated sectors undermined our country’s reputation as a stable trading partner. We call, once again, on the federal government to step in and act now to avoid immediate and long-term damage to Canada’s economy and our farming families.

    “Market access is critical for Alberta’s farmers, ranchers and agri-food businesses. This strike is another blow to the agriculture industry, following closely after China initiated an anti-dumping investigation into canola seed imports.

    “The federal government must improve its approach to labour relations, particularly in federally regulated transportation sectors. The continuous strikes we have seen are a direct result of these failed relations and must be urgently addressed to restore stability in our supply chains.

    “That is why Alberta’s government has sent a letter continuing to call on the federal government to respond proactively and more effectively to labour disputes that have potential to create widespread damage to critical supply chains, as well as to our country’s economy and reputation as a reliable trading partner.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: RM of Lac du Bonnet — Update – Lac du Bonnet RCMP respond to fatal two-vehicle collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 17, 2024, after an in-depth investigation and in consultation with Manitoba Public Prosecution Service, Lac du Bonnet RCMP arrested Paul Robinson, 37, from Winnipeg for Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle Causing Death and Impaired Operation of a Motor Vehicle While Impaired by Drug. These charges are in relation to the death of an 82-year-old male from the RM of Lac du Bonnet in August 2023.

    Robinson was released with a court date in Beausejour Provincial Court on November 4, 2024.

    On August 1, 2023, at approximately 6:20 am, Lac du Bonnet RCMP responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Provincial Road 313 and Channel Drive, located approximately 15 kilometres east of Lac du Bonnet.

    A pickup truck, being driven by a 32-year-old male from Winnipeg, was travelling eastbound on PR313 when it collided into the rear of a minivan, being driven by an 82-year-old male from the RM of Lac du Bonnet, which was in the process of making a left hand turn onto Channel Drive.

    The driver of the pickup truck was transported to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening physical injuries. The driver of the minivan was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased on scene.

    Lac du Bonnet RCMP, along with a Forensic Collision Reconstructionist, continue to investigate.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Poet Technologies Announces Closing of US$15 Million Private Placement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Corporation“) (TSXV: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), the designer and developer of the POET Optical Interposer™, Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and light sources for the data center, tele-communication and artificial intelligence markets, is pleased to announce that it has completed a non-brokered private placement with a single institutional investor pursuant to which the Corporation issued 4,000,000 common shares (the “Common Shares“) and an accompanying warrant exercisable for an aggregate of up to 2,000,000 Common Shares (each, a “Warrant Share”) at an exercise price of $5.00 (or approximately C$6.78) per Common Share (the “Warrant“) for aggregate gross proceeds of US$15,000,000 (the “Offering”). The combined price of one Common Share and accompanying Warrant in respect of one-half Common Share was US$3.75 (or approximately C$5.09). Subject to the terms of the Warrant, the Warrant is exercisable, in whole or in part, for a period of five years from the date of issuance.

    The Corporation intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. No commission or finder’s fee was paid by the Corporation and no underwriter or sales agent was engaged by the Corporation in connection with the Offering.

    All Common Shares and the accompanying Warrant issued under the Offering were distributed to a purchaser located outside of Canada in reliance on OSC Rule 72-503 – Distributions Outside of Canada and, accordingly, all Common Shares, the accompanying Warrant and all Warrant Shares issued under the Offering are not subject to a Canadian statutory hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The Offering remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange“).

    This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. This news release shall not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration under U.S. federal and state securities laws or an applicable exemption from such U.S. registration requirements.

    About POET Technologies Inc.

    POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical engines, light source products and custom optical modules to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers.  POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems.  POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges across a broad range of communication, computing and sensing applications.  POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Allentown, PA, Shenzhen, China, and Singapore.  More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include, without limitation, the Corporation’s expectations with respect to its products, the scalability of the POET Optical Interposer and the success of the Corporation’s products, the Corporation’s use of proceeds for the Offering and the Corporation’s ability to obtain the final approval of the Exchange. Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, management’s expectations regarding the size of the market for its products, the capability of its joint venture to produce products on time and at the expected costs, the performance and availability of certain components, and the success of its customers in achieving market penetration for their products. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the attractiveness of the Corporation’s product offerings, performance of its technology, the performance of key components, and ability of its customers to sell their products into the market. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Corporation’s filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Corporation’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Corporation can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

    120 Eglinton Avenue, East, Suite 1107, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E2- Tel: 416-368-9411 – Fax: 416-322-5075

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Senior leadership appointments in the Government of Yukon public service

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier Ranj Pillai has made two senior leadership appointments.

    Matt King has been appointed Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services. The dual Deputy Minister roles in Health and Social Services have been consolidated to enhance efficiency and optimize operations.

    Damien Burns has been appointed as acting Deputy Minister of Community Services for a period of six months.

    Both of these senior leadership appointments are effective September 20, 2024.

    • Read more about Senior leadership appointments in the Government of Yukon public service
    • Add new comment

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister Richard Mostyn on the new City of Whitehorse Recycling Program

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn has issued the following statement:

    “Our government believes recycling is a crucial part of protecting the Yukon’s natural environment.

    “Once Raven ReCentre decided to stop accepting non-refundable recyclable materials, Whitehorse residents faced a gap in recycling options before Extended Producer Responsibility regulations start in 2025. In light of this situation, the Yukon government felt it was important to ensure recycling continues in the Yukon’s largest municipality.

    • Read more about Statement from Minister Richard Mostyn on the new City of Whitehorse Recycling Program
    • Add new comment

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Joint statement from Premier Ranj Pillai and Minister John Streicker on the Yukon–British Columbia Grid Connect Project

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    An incorrect version of a statement was issued yesterday titled ‘Statement from Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources on connecting the Yukon and British Columbia’s electricity grids.’ This release has been removed from Yukon.ca and replaced with the corrected version. We apologize for the error.

    Premier Ranj Pillai and Minister responsible for Yukon Development Corporation John Streicker have issued the following joint statement:

    • Read more about Joint statement from Premier Ranj Pillai and Minister John Streicker on the Yukon–British Columbia Grid Connect Project
    • Add new comment

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Groundbreaking study revises the origins of biodiversity An international team of scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape our understanding of how global biodiversity evolved.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    The findings of the study could revolutionise the way we think about the evolution of biodiversityAn international team of scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape our understanding of how global biodiversity evolved.
    By reconstructing the evolution of species over the past 45 million years, researchers found that the geographic origins of many plants, insects and mammals are more closely linked than previously thought.
    Led by the University of Aberdeen in collaboration with Bangor University in Wales, Lakehead University in Canada, and several Indonesian institutes including IPB University in Bogor, the team used Southeast Asia – one of the world’s most biodiversity-rich regions – as a natural laboratory to trace the geographic origins of a wide range of species.
    Their findings challenge long-standing theories that groups of flora and fauna evolved separately on different landmasses before diversifying across the region.
    Central to this research is a new evolutionary model, developed at the University of Aberdeen, which enabled the team to include extinct species in their analysis for the first time.
    This innovative approach has not only provided a more complete evolutionary picture but has paved the way for a fresh understanding of how biodiversity arose and spread across landmasses. The model is now being used in international collaborations to revisit the evolutionary history of other continents, promising to reshape our understanding of global biodiversity.
    “We wondered whether several groups of plants and animals could have the same geographic origin as new geological evidence contrasted with current reconstructions of species’ origin and spread,” said Dr Leonel Herrera Alsina, Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen’s School of Biological Sciences. “However, the ongoing extinction of species throughout evolution takes away key information to reconstruct the past.”
    The inclusion of extinct species in the modelling process allowed researchers to trace evolutionary patterns further back in time, revealing that many groups of species in Southeast Asia spread across the entire region earlier than previously thought.
    This result reinforces the idea that land bridges existed and acted as stepping stones in the spread of species out of Borneo and Continental Asia.
    “Previous methods ignored the impact of extinct species but, by incorporating them, we’ve been able to create a more accurate and comprehensive picture of how the incredible biodiversity of this region evolved,” said Professor Lesley Lancaster, Personal Chair at the University of Aberdeen.
    “This new understanding aligns with recent geological findings and could transform how we view the origins and spread of species globally.”
    Professor David Burslem, Director of the Interdisciplinary Institute at the University of Aberdeen, emphasised the broader significance of the study: “This research underscores the importance of studying ecological and geological processes in unison. The evolutionary patterns we see today are deeply intertwined with the region’s geological history. Integrating these disciplines allows us to better understand the origins of biodiversity and how it has developed over millions of years.”
    The study, published this week by the Royal Society, sheds new light on the evolutionary history of life on Earth and offers valuable insights into how evolutionary processes can be integrated into conservation prioritisation, helping to safeguard biodiversity as ecosystems face increasing pressures from climate change.
    “Our findings revolutionise the way we think about the evolution of biodiversity, not just in Southeast Asia but globally,” added Professor Justin Travis, Personal Chair at the University of Aberdeen. “This model, now being used in collaborations around the world, opens the door to revisiting long-held theories about evolution on other continents as well.
    “The work sets the stage for future research that will revise our understanding of how species have adapted and diversified over millions of years.”
    The research was funded by UKRI’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The paper is published in the journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UN Chief at the SDG Moment 2024 | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Secretary-General António Guterres today (24 Sep) said the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “are facing massive headwinds,” as “crashing debt and inefficient tax systems are starving investments in health, education and food in many developing countries.”

    Speaking at an SDG Moment event, Guterres said the goals “represent a bold vision, a commitment to a better, healthier, safer and more prosperous and sustainable future,” but acknowledged that “more than four out of five SDG targets are off track.”

    He stressed that “the world has the wealth, the technology, and the know how to achieve the SDGs.”

    “Crashing debt and inefficient tax systems,” the Secretary-General said, “are starving investments in health, education and food in many developing countries.” The Pact for the Future, he added “includes support for the SDG stimulus and global financial architecture reform to help ease the debt crisis.”

    Guterres said, “it is time for a rapid and just phase out of fossil fuels and the rapid and smart scale up of renewables to drive sustainable development, energy security, and economic prosperity.”

    He also emphasized that “we must fairly and sustainably meet the global demand for critical minerals that can power the renewables revolution,” and added that “protecting development gains from climate upheaval is also critical.”

    Also speaking at the event, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “climate change is hitting absolutely everything around us. The costs of extreme weather impacts are going through the roof, the changes to migrations, the pressures on communities, on countries, that’s going to come from a changing planet and a change in climate are going to be massive challenges that we have to meet. The way we used to do things is no longer going to serve humanity the way it did before. We have to start shifting long-term, and that means understanding that taking real, concrete action on climate change is not something that is expensive to do now, or difficult to do now, because it’s moral. It’s actually the cheapest way of making sure we have a better future.”

    Building on the momentum from the 2023 SDG Summit and the outcomes of the Summit of the Future, the fourth SDG Moment aimed to highlight inspiring examples of progress from around the world and emphasize the role of political leadership, SDG investment, and global partnerships in achieving food systems transformation, the renewable energy shift, and expanded digital connectivity.
    —————

    The Sustainable Development Goals – the roadmap to a better future for all – are off track. However, the SDG Moment 2024, taking place Tuesday 24 September, will show that dramatic progress is still possible between now and 2030 if the world comes together to act with decisiveness and determination to reach our shared destination by 2030.

    The path to 2030 must be driven by just and inclusive transitions. Convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the SDG Moment 2024 will demonstrate that transformation is not only possible but essential. It will spotlight the role of just transitions in reshaping food systems to alleviate hunger while preserving nature, advancing the renewable energy revolution for a path to net-zero emissions, and ensuring that digital connectivity empowers youth, women, older people, and persons with disabilities. These transitions are vital to secure a more sustainable and equitable future and the SDG Moment 2024 will emphasize the importance of quality education, skills development, and access to decent work as pillars of the 2030 Agenda.

    About the SDG Moment 2024
    Building on the momentum from the 2023 SDG Summit and the outcomes of the Summit of the Future, the fourth SDG Moment will highlight inspiring examples of progress from around the world and emphasize the role of political leadership, SDG investment, and global partnerships in achieving food systems transformation, the renewable energy shift, and expanded digital connectivity. The Moment will also explore how enhanced social protection and decent work opportunities can ensure these transitions drive poverty eradication, reduce inequalities, and empower women and young people.

    The event will bring together high-level Government representatives alongside inspiring advocacy from youth leaders, businesses, academia, and UN agencies.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3XpkmsPehc

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Tiff Macklem: Economic growth during uncertain times

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Good afternoon. I want to thank the Institute of International Finance and the Canadian Bankers Association for inviting me to take part in your 2024 Forum.

    Your focus on growth during uncertainty is timely. Uncertainty feels like the new reality: The uncertainty caused by war in Europe and in the Middle East. The uncertainties arising from geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation. And the related uncertainties about supply chains, trading relationships and global investment risks.

    Rapid advances in new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and its new offspring, Generative-AI, are disrupting business models and creating new uncertainties for firms and workers.

    Uncertainty surrounds the impacts of climate change and the policy frameworks to adapt to and mitigate it.

    There is political uncertainty. And fiscal uncertainty.

    As your theme implies, uncertainty and economic growth do not sit well together: uncertainty impedes growth.

    But with inspired policy, good business decisions and sound risk management, we can manage uncertainty and reduce its impact on households, businesses and growth. We have recent historical evidence.

    Sixteen years ago this month, Lehman Brothers failed, and the financial system froze because nobody knew which banks were safe. Today, the global financial system is much safer thanks to the implementation of sweeping global reforms to increase capital and liquidity buffers, and reduce leverage.

    With the rapid development of new vaccines and with exceptional fiscal and monetary policies, uncertainty about our health and the health of our economies has decreased dramatically since the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Thanks to decisive monetary policy action and the unblocking of supply chains, uncertainty about costs and inflation are much lower today than two years ago, when inflation peaked above 8% in Canada and was even higher in many other countries.

    In the past few weeks, I have given speeches on the shifting global trade landscape and the economic implications and risks of rapid advances in artificial intelligence. These are two key areas where we can reduce uncertainty through good policy and far-sighted business leadership.

    At the same time, we need to recognize that new uncertainties are a new reality, and we must be ready for the inevitable shocks in a more turbulent world. That puts a priority on risk management and investments in resilience.

    A key function of financial institutions is to help households and businesses manage the risks they face. Financial institutions also have a responsibility to manage their own risks prudently so that they do not themselves become a source of uncertainty and instability.

    As Canada’s central bank, we have a role to play in mitigating and managing risks and uncertainty. Our primary mandate is price stability-in other words, low, stable and predictable inflation. We also have mandates to foster a stable financial system and ensure safe and efficient payments.

    Let me say a few words on financial stability and payments. And then I’ll finish with some thoughts on monetary policy.

    Our financial stability focus is on risks that could lead to system-wide stress. And we publish these findings in our annual Financial Stability Report (FSR).1

    In our most recent FSR, published in May, we reported that Canadian mortgage holders had experienced a modest increase in levels of financial stress. Since then, we’ve observed that arrears on mortgages have continued to rise, although they remain below pre-pandemic levels. It also appears that these households have not leaned on revolving credit products such as lines of credit and credit cards to a greater degree than before the pandemic.

    But there is a notable increase in financial stress among borrowers without a mortgage, mainly renters. During the pandemic, for most credit products, the share of these borrowers missing payments reached historical lows. However, we’re now seeing a larger share of these borrowers lagging behind on credit card and auto loan payments. Over the past year the share of borrowers without a mortgage who carry a credit card balance of at least 90% of their credit limit has continued to climb. And this share is now above typical historical levels. This is concerning.

    Our responsibilities related to payments require us to adapt to increasing digitalization. Innovation in payments continues to accelerate.

    In 2021, the Bank assumed a new mandate for the supervision of retail payment service providers. Starting November 1st of this year, more than 3,000 service providers will need to register with the Bank and follow new rules aimed at safeguarding consumers and protecting the integrity of retail payments.  

    We are also looking at the bigger picture of payment innovation, both in Canada and around the world. As part of this work, in the past few years we’ve built an extensive body of knowledge about the framework and technology behind a possible central bank digital currency (CBDC), including the benefits and risks.

    But recognizing that there is not currently a compelling case to move forward with a CBDC in Canada, the Bank is scaling down its work on a retail central bank digital currency and shifting its focus to broader payments system research and policy development. The Bank will continue to monitor global retail CBDC developments. And the Bank will be ready to ensure Canadians always have a safe and secure supply of public money.

    Now, let me circle back to monetary policy.

    In June, we began lowering our policy interest rate. We cut the policy rate at our last three decisions, for a cumulative decline of 75 basis points to 4.25%.

    Our most recent decision on September 4th reflected two main considerations.

    First, we noted that headline and core inflation had continued to ease as expected. Second, we said that as inflation gets closer to target, we want to see economic growth pick up to absorb the slack in the economy.

    Since then, we’ve been pleased to see inflation come all the way back to the 2% target. It has been a long journey. Now we want to keep inflation close to the centre of the 1%–3% inflation-control band. We need to stick the landing.

    What does this mean for interest rates? With the continued progress we’ve seen on inflation, it is reasonable to expect further cuts in our policy rate. The timing and pace will be determined by incoming data and our assessment of what those data mean for future inflation.

    As always, we try to be as clear as we can about what we are watching as we chart the course for monetary policy.

    Economic growth picked up in the first half of this year, and we want to see it strengthen further so that inflation stays close to the 2% target. Some recent indicators suggest growth may not be as strong as we expected. We will be closely watching consumer spending, as well as business hiring and investment.

    We will also be looking for continued easing in core inflation, which is still a little above 2%. Shelter cost inflation remains elevated but has started to come down, and we are looking for it to moderate further.

    Our next decision is October 23rd. And we will have a revised economic outlook at that time.

    With those introductory thoughts, let’s get the discussion started.

    I would like to thank Russell Barnett, Claudia Godbout and Brian Peterson for their help in preparing these remarks.

    MIL OSI Economics –