A 20-year-old woman is facing a manslaughter charge in relation to a suspicious death on Little Black Bear First Nation.

On Dec. 18, at around 10:30 a.m., File Hills police received a report of an injured person at a home on Little Black Bear First Nation.

Officers responded and located an injured man at the scene. He was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.

He was identified as 20-year-old Devin Bellegarde.

An initial investigation determined Bellegarde’s death was suspicious in nature. A woman was arrested at the scene and Saskatchewan RCMP were engaged to continue the investigation.

As a result of that effort, Danielle Panipekeesick, 20, was charged with one count of manslaughter.

Both the victim and the accused hail from Little Black Bear First Nation.

The accused made her first appearance in provincial court in Fort Qu’Appelle on Thursday.

An appeal to a legal case that made international headlines has been dismissed by Saskatchewan’s highest court.

The Court of Appeal of Saskatchewan upheld the original verdict – which found that a “thumbs up” emoji was a legally binding agreement between Achter Land & Cattle Ltd. (ALC) and South West Terminal Ltd. (SWT)

On March 26, 2021, a representative of SWT sent a text to the owners of Achter with details of a flax delivery agreement. Following several calls, the contract was drafted.

The SWT representative took a photo of the signed contract and sent it to one of Achter’s owners with the message, Please confirm flax contract.

The Achter owner responded with a thumbs up emoji with no accompanying text.

However, the 87 metric tonnes of flax was not delivered to SWT in November.

SWT sued ALC to enforce the contract it claimed was formed in the exchange – while ALC asserted there was no agreement, and if there was one, it would be unenforceable due to Section 6(1) of The Sale of Goods Act.

Section 6 reads: A contract for the sale of goods of the value of $50 or upwards shall not be enforceable by action unless the buyer shall accept part of the goods so sold and actually receive the same or give something in earnest to bind the contract or in part payment or unless some note or memorandum in writing of the contract is made and signed by the party to be charged or his agent in that behalf.

The court’s eventual decision took into account ALC’s and SWT’s long standing business relationship – going as far back as 2012 – as well as previous agreements which were agreed to through one-word messages such as yup and ok.

ALC appealed the decision, standing by its defence position – which in part argued that the thumbs up used by Mr. Achter was meant to confirm that he received the agreement – and was not agreeing to it.

However, in a lengthy decision published on Dec. 16 by Chief Justice Robert W. Leurer, the appeal was rejected.

The court’s analysis found that a contract was made, there was an agreement on the essential terms of the contract and the contract was signed in the form of Mr. Achter’s text response.

The judge did not err when he found that a contract arose between the parties and that Mr. Achter’s text message satisfied the requirements of S. 6 of The Sale of Goods Act, including the need for a signature, Leuer explained.

ALC’s appeal must therefore be dismissed. SWT is entitled to its taxable costs against ALC.

SWT was originally awarded $82,200 in damages, plus interests and court costs.

The appeal noted that SWT is entitled to its taxable costs against ALC.

The Regina Police Service (RPS) has added a Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) to its capabilities – as the service works to crack down on impaired drivers.

Now we have a unit where we can do a lot of testing right there, Inspector Shawn Fenwick explained. [It] should create efficiencies where we can do the investigations more thoroughly and quicker. We can do all of those tests right there in the in the mobile testing unit, rather than, bringing them downstairs to our detention area.

The MTU contains a breathalyzer and oral fluid testing devices such as Drager and Sotoxa – which are necessary to legally confirm impairment.

Prior to the MTU’s introduction, impaired drivers would have to be transported to Regina Police Headquarters in order for officers to access these tools.

The MTU has been in service less than a week and is already showing promising results, according to Fenwick.

Really great feedback from our members,” he said. “Were working through a few technical things. But I think it was a great success and a really good start for us.

The timing of this new tool was strategic, according to both RPS and SGI, who injected $25,000 into the project.

People are festive, they are celebrating, and they are more likely to be out there to drink and drive or ingest drugs so its very important that we have police out there, its equally important any other time of year, Vice President of Traffic and Safety Services for SGI Kwei Quaye explained.

It is the Christmas season. So, that was kind of timely for us and we anticipate having it on the roads quite a bit here. In the next few weeks over what typically is, a time of year where impaired drivers are out there more than more than normal, Fenwick added.

In addition to the testing equipment in the MTU, RPS employs several officers who are trained drug recognition experts.

Those members are always on call. Whether theyre in the van when theyre out there, they are available to us all the time,” Fenwick said. “The training is fairly significant. Its several weeks of in-classroom and it also involves several weeks of in the field training as well.

RPS tests an average of 25,000 drivers annually for impairment in the city.

A lot of its creating the awareness and changing behavior, Fenwick noted.

Our goal is to have zero [impaired drivers],” Quaye added. “38 per cent of the people who die on our roads because of impaired driving, and thats just too high.

Police responded to the scene of a minor train derailment in west Regina Thursday afternoon.

In a news release published just before 12:30 p.m., the Regina Police Service (RPS) confirmed officers were on scene – with traffic closures being in effect from 1 Avenue North to Mikkelson Drive and the Dorthy Street crossing between Read Avenue and Fulton Drive.

Just before 1 p.m., traffic resumed in the area, according to an update from RPS.

In a statement to CTV News, CN confirmed that its personnel were responding to the incident and that only one locomotive was involved.

According to the railway, the locomotive was moving empty grain cars at the time of the derailment. No injuries were reported from the scene.

CN apologizes to motorists for the inconvenience, the statement read. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Beginning on Jan. 1, more Saskatchewan women will be able to access breast cancer screening as the province takes a phased approach to lower age eligibility.

Currently, women between the ages of 50 to 74 are currently eligible to get a mammogram, according to the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA). Women between the ages of 47 to 49 will become eligible on Jan.1 during the first phase.

Breast cancer screening will be open to women between the ages of 45 to 47 beginning on the next phase on June 1. The eligibility age will then be gradually lowered to include women who are between the ages of 40 to 45.

The province first announced  the expansion of breast cancer screening in September. 

A doctor’s referral is not needed to book an appointment. To be eligible, women must be the current appropriate age, have no breast cancer symptoms such as lumps, discharge, or skin changes, not have breast implants, not in an active follow-up for breast cancer, and have been cancer free for five years.

Screening mammograms are for healthy woman, while diagnostic mammograms are for women who have breast cancer symptoms, according to the SCA.

Approximately 75 per cent of breast cancers diagnosed through the SCA’s screening program are early stage, the agency said. Expanding the age to 40 will increase the eligible population by about 76,000 women.

To book an appointment or for more information, women can call 1-855-584-8228 or visit the Mobile Mammography Unit.

A Saskatchewan man has tried to convince a King’s Bench judge of his right to opt out of legal proceedings as a “natural, freeborn, sovereign individual.”

Michael Vincent MacGregor was arrested on Jan. 11, 2023 following an investigation in which police seized more than a kilogram of fentanyl, a loaded, stolen, sawed off shotgun and a large sum of cash, according to a Regina Police Service news release. He was 43 years old at the time of the arrest.

MacGregor faces an indictment of five counts, including possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, and several firearms charges.

In September, Justice Michael Tochor says MacGregor filed a bizarre document with the subject line “Withdrawal of Consent and Opting Out of Legal Proceedings.”

MacGregor’s filing claims he’s not “to be governed by any statutes, rules or legal processes,” and says he doesn’t “recognize the jurisdiction of any court” to exercise control over him without consent, according to a Dec. 12 written decision from Tochor.

MacGregor demanded Tochor provide “proof of a valid contract … that holds me to your jurisdiction,” and said if his demands weren’t met within 72 hours, he would “consider all actions and proceedings to be fraudulent.”

For his part, the King’s Bench judge entertained MacGregor’s submissions at face value — writing a brief analysis confirming why his court has jurisdiction in this criminal matter.

Tochor writes that MacGregor continued to submit similar challenges and claims for compensation of $500,000 from the judge, Crown and a court clerk over the course of several months. He also alleged his rights under sections seven to 11 of the Charter had been violated.

The alleged fentanyl trafficker presented his arguments directly in a Dec. 10 case management conference.

“During his submissions, I suggested to Mr. MacGregor that he would be well served by seeking the advice of legal counsel,” Tochor writes.

“I pointed out the consequences of a conviction on any of these charges could be very serious, including the imposition of a custodial sentence.”

Tochor plainly laid out the chain of legal authority in his written decision. In brief, all roads lead back to the Constitution Act of 1982.

The parliament gets its authority to enact laws in Canada from the constitution, which also confers jurisdiction to enact laws on the Government of Saskatchewan.

In turn, the court gets its jurisdiction over indictable offences from the federal Criminal Code and from the provincial King’s Bench Act, which designate the Court of King’s Bench as the “superior court of criminal jurisdiction.”

“In this case, the indictment alleges Mr. MacGregor was found and arrested within the territorial jurisdiction of Saskatchewan; and he was charged with indictable offences arising out of events which occurred in Regina,” Tochor writes.

Tochor says MacGregor was committed to stand trial on those charges by the provincial court on April 10 and ordered to appear before the presiding criminal pre-trial judge at the Court of King’s Bench.

“Therefore, the law in Canada establishes that the Court of King’s Bench for Saskatchewan has jurisdiction over Mr. MacGregor with respect to these alleged offences.”

Speaking to MacGregor after his submissions on Dec. 10, Tochor says he also made an order that he must personally appear in court for the first day of trial.

“I explained to him that if he did not appear at his trial as required, I could consider issuing a bench warrant for his arrest. In response, Mr. MacGregor suggested he may issue a bench warrant for my arrest.”

The trial is scheduled to begin March 31, 2025 at the Court of King’s Bench in Regina.

Regina’s International Airport will offer a daily flight to Denver for travellers – beginning in May 2025.

The announcement comes as a joint venture between the provincial government, Regina Airport Authority and United Airlines.

The route from Regina to Denver will connect Saskatchewan to yet another major hub in the United States, which will lead to increased competitiveness and economic growth for the province, Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said in a release Thursday morning.

I congratulate the Regina Airport Authority and SkyWest on this new direct flight, which will benefit our local business community and increase Saskatchewan’s access to the United States and beyond.

The new route will be operated through United Airlines and operated by SkyWest.

We are incredibly excited to introduce this new daily non-stop service to Denver, Regina Airport Authority President and CEO James Bogusz explained in the release. This route strengthens Reginas position as the key gateway to southern Saskatchewan and demonstrates United Airlines confidence in Saskatchewans future.

With Uniteds extensive connections through Denver, this flight opens many new opportunities for personal and professional travel, he added.

The daily route to Denver is not the first expansion into an American hub city in recent memory.

The summer of 2023 saw WestJet begin offering flights three days a week to Minneapolis – which serves as a hub for Delta Airlines’ domestic network.

Regina previously held routes to both American cities, losing Minneapolis in 2016 and Denver the year previous.

The provincial government framed the expansion as another sign of a growing economy.

According to the province, Saskatchewan’s real GDP reached an all-time high of 77.9 billion in 2023 – a $1.77 billion or 2.3 per cent increase from the year previous.

A police officer who died after having a suspected medical episode on duty was executing a search warrant in connection with an ongoing robbery investigation in North York, Toronto police confirmed Thursday.

Det. John Park was carrying out a search warrant with other officers in the area of Jane Street and Steeles Avenue when the incident occurred, Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue said.

“In the early hours of this morning, officers executed a search warrant as part of an ongoing robbery investigation,” she said Thursday during a news conference outside Humber River Hospital.

“During this operation, Det. John Park experienced a medical episode and despite the best efforts of our first-responder partners, John passed away.”

Pogue, fighting back tears, told reporters that Park is survived by his wife and two young children, ages nine and five.

“This is heartbreaking news just before Christmas and there is no words to express the sorrow that we feel right now,” Pogue said.

“Here at the hospital we have spoken with and met with John’s family and they are understandably devastated by this tragic and sudden loss.”

She said Park, who was a 14-year veteran of the police service, was a member of the hold-up squad and began his career at 22 Division.

“This is every family’s worst fear when a loved one works as a police officer and does not come home safely after their shift,” Pogue added.

“Det. Park was a wonderful and loving father and he was appreciated by everyone who knew him at the Toronto Police Service.”

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw echoed Pogues sentiments regarding Park, calling his on-duty death devastating.

The on-duty death of Detective John Park, a husband and father, just days before Christmas, is devastating. The @TorontoPolice and @TPAca will provide unwavering support to his loved ones. The strength, character, and resilience of our members is needed at this time, Demkiw wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Police have not elaborated on what type of medical episode Park experienced on Thursday morning, but Pogue noted that there is an ongoing investigation.

“We are aware that there is some speculation about a potential exposure to narcotics,” Pogue added.

“We have nothing to believe that it is related to narcotics exposure.”

She said losing a colleague in the line of duty has a “profound impact” on members of the Toronto Police Service as well as the community at large.

“Right now our focus is to do everything we can to support John’s family, his loved ones, and his colleagues here at the Toronto Police Service,” Pogue said.

Park’s death prompted an outpouring of support from other first-responders in the GTA, including Toronto Paramedics Services, York Regional Police, and Durham Regional Police, who all posted messages of condolences on social media.  

In a statement released on social media on Thursday, Premier Doug Ford said he is “deeply saddened” by the news.

“My condolences go out to the family and loved ones of the officer, as well as all members of the @TorontoPolice,“ he wrote.

“It’s a sober reminder of the need to always stand with our women and men in uniform, who work tirelessly everyday to keep our communities safe.”

In a written statement, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she is “heartbroken to learn of the death of a police officer” and noted that she has been in touch with Police Chief Myron Demkiw to discuss the incident.

“I understand the circumstances are still being confirmed and investigated,” she said.

“My heartfelt condolences go out to the officer’s family, friends, and colleagues during this painful time. We deeply appreciate the work of our officers and the work they do every day for our city.”  

The CN Tower said in a social media post that staff plan to dim the lights on the Toronto landmark for five minutes at the top of every hour on Thursday night in honour of Park. 

🎉 Update Completed Successfully! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that our scheduled network update has been completed without any issues! 🚀 All our broadcast stations, streams, and websites are now fully operational and running better than ever.

What’s New?

Here’s what you can expect from this update:
✅ Improved Audio Player – No more interruptions or cutting off! Enjoy seamless streaming on our websites.
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✅ Upgraded Security & Quality – Improved protection and enhanced broadcast quality for an unmatched listening experience.

Fully Operational Services:

🎵 Stations:

• Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
• 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
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• Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

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Thank you for your patience and understanding during this process. We’re committed to providing you with the best listening experience possible and appreciate your support!

🎧 Happy Listening!
The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team

We’re committed to providing our audience with a listening experience like no other! To maintain this standard, we’re excited to announce a major update to our Broadcast Network.

What’s New?

This update will bring:

• A Better Audio Player: Improved performance on our websites to resolve issues with streams cutting off.
• Enhanced Session Operations: Ensuring error-free radio streams.
• Upgraded Security & Quality: Improved protection and overall broadcast quality.

Downtime Details:

• Expected Downtime: 1 hour (we’ve allocated up to 4 hours for any unforeseen circumstances).
• Impacted Services:
  • Live Broadcasts & Website Access for these stations:
    • Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
    • 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
    • 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
    • Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/
  • Websites:
    • EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
    • EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
    • DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/
  • Third-Party Apps: Any apps relying on our live broadcasts will also be affected.

Commitment to Excellence:
During the downtime, our team will work diligently to complete the update and monitor the network to ensure peak performance. We’re committed to enhancing your listening experience to the highest standards.

Stay Updated:
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• 101 The Rockhound: https://www.facebook.com/101TheRockhound/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093402861183

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our services.

Thank you for your continued support,

The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team