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B.C. Lions blitz Ottawa Redblacks 38-12, snap five-game skid in Touchdown Pacific

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VICTORIA – The B.C. Lions snapped their losing skid in impressive fashion Saturday, blitzing the Ottawa Redblacks 38-12 at the CFL’s first-ever game in Victoria, B.C.

B.C. (6-6) quarterback Nathan Rourke connected on 21-of-30 passing attempts for 325 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He also put up the first points of the game, rushing in for another major.

Dru Brown was 21-for-33 on the night, putting up 206 passing yards and a touchdown for the Redblacks (7-3-1). He was sacked four times.

Kicker Sean Whyte added a 12-yard field goal and five converts for the Lions. Ottawa’s Lewis Ward contributed a pair of field goals, including one from 53 yards out.

B.C. came in on a five-game losing streak after dropping a 34-27 decision to the Redblacks in Ottawa last week. Ottawa was undefeated in six outings heading into Saturday’s matchup.

The event, dubbed Touchdown Pacific by the league, was the furthest west a CFL game has ever been played. A crowd of 14,727 took in the contest at Royal Athletic Park, home of the West Coast League baseball team the Victoria HarbourCats.

The Lions were the dominant side from the start with running back William Stanback giving his side a 31-yard gain on their first play.

Rourke — who was born in Victoria — capped the opening drive about four minutes later, muscling his way through traffic for a touchdown and Sean Whyte made the convert to give B.C. a 7-0 lead.

The veteran kicker added a 12-yard field goal to boost the Lions’ lead to 10-0 before the end of the first quarter.

Rourke and his teammates steadily worked their way up the field early in the second half before dishing off to Alexander Hollins in the end zone for the Canadian quarterback’s first touchdown pass since returning to the CFL earlier this month. B.C.’s lead grew to 17-0 with an extra point from Whyte.

The Redblacks struggled to string together passes across the first half. Ottawa settled for a 53-yard field goal from Ward to get on the scoreboard, making it 17-3 midway through the second frame.

B.C. was quick to respond with Stanback evading a pair of diving tackles and waltzing in for the Lions’ third major of the game.

Ward cut Ottawa’s deficit to 24-6 with a 45-yard field goal with less than two minutes to go in the first half, but the Lions refused to relent.

With 40 seconds left in the second quarter, Ayden Eberhardt reeled in a 33-yard pass for his first CFL touchdown and, with yet another successful convert from Whyte, B.C. took a 31-6 lead into the locker room.

The Redblacks got some life early in the third when defensive back Damon Webb picked off Rourke’s pass. The team capitalized, with Brown connecting with former Lion Dominique Rhymes in the end zone. But the Redblacks’ two-point conversion attempt was interrupted by B.C. defensive back Emmanuel Rugamba, leaving Ottawa trailing 31-12.

The visitors got another prime opportunity midway through the third when Whyte missed a 51-yard field goal. Running back DeVonte Dedmon collected the ball and sprinted 73 yards up the field, but Ottawa couldn’t finish the scoring drive.

Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Rourke sent a 10-yard bomb to Justin McInnis deep in Redblacks’ territory. The Canadian receiver broke a pair of tackles and stepped over the goal line to give B.C. a 37-12 lead. Whyte then added an extra point.

McInnis had 72 receiving yards on the night, giving him 1,026 on the season. This is the first season the 28-year-old wide receiver from Pierrefonds, Que., has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in a CFL campaign.

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The Lions visit the league-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-1) on Friday.

The Redblacks will host the Toronto Argonauts (6-4) next Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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RCMP investigating after three found dead in Lloydminster, Sask.

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LLOYDMINSTER, SASK. – RCMP are investigating the deaths of three people in Lloydminster, Sask.

They said in a news release Thursday that there is no risk to the public.

On Wednesday evening, they said there was a heavy police presence around 50th Street and 47th Avenue as officers investigated an “unfolding incident.”

Mounties have not said how the people died, their ages or their genders.

Multiple media reports from the scene show yellow police tape blocking off a home, as well as an adjacent road and alleyway.

The city of Lloydminster straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

Mounties said the three people were found on the Saskatchewan side of the city, but that the Alberta RCMP are investigating.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 12, 2024.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story; An earlier version said the three deceased were found on the Alberta side of Lloydminster.

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Three injured in Kingston, Ont., assault, police negotiating suspect’s surrender

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KINGSTON, Ont. – Police in Kingston, Ont., say three people have been sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a violent daytime assault.

Kingston police say officers have surrounded a suspect and were trying to negotiate his surrender as of 1 p.m.

Spokesperson Const. Anthony Colangeli says police received reports that the suspect may have been wielding an edged or blunt weapon, possibly both.

Colangeli says officers were called to the Integrated Care Hub around 10:40 a.m. after a report of a serious assault.

He says the three victims were all assaulted “in the vicinity,” of the drop-in health centre, not inside.

Police have closed Montreal Street between Railway Street and Hickson Avenue.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

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Government intervention in Air Canada talks a threat to competition: Transat CEO

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Demands for government intervention in Air Canada labour talks could negatively affect airline competition in Canada, the CEO of travel company Transat AT Inc. said.

“The extension of such an extraordinary intervention to Air Canada would be an undeniable competitive advantage to the detriment of other Canadian airlines,” Annick Guérard told analysts on an earnings conference call on Thursday.

“The time and urgency is now. It is time to restore healthy competition in Canada,” she added.

Air Canada has asked the federal government to be ready to intervene and request arbitration as early as this weekend to avoid disruptions.

Comments on the potential Air Canada pilot strike or lock out came as Transat reported third-quarter financial results.

Guérard recalled Transat’s labour negotiations with its flight attendants earlier this year, which the company said it handled without asking for government intervention.

The airline’s 2,100 flight attendants voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate and twice rejected tentative deals before approving a new collective agreement in late February.

As the collective agreement for Air Transat pilots ends in June next year, Guérard anticipates similar pressure to increase overall wages as seen in Air Canada’s negotiations, but reckons it will come out “as a win, win, win deal.”

“The pilots are preparing on their side, we are preparing on our side and we’re confident that we’re going to come up with a reasonable deal,” she told analysts when asked about the upcoming negotiations.

The parent company of Air Transat reported it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31. The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.

It attributed reduced revenues to lower airline unit revenues, competition, industry-wide overcapacity and economic uncertainty.

Air Transat is also among the airlines facing challenges related to the recall of Pratt & Whitney turbofan jet engines for inspection and repair.

The recall has so far grounded six aircraft, Guérard said on the call.

“We have agreed to financial compensation for grounded aircraft during the 2023-2024 period,” she said. “Alongside this financial compensation, Pratt & Whitney will provide us with two additional spare engines, which we intend to monetize through a sell and lease back transaction.”

Looking ahead, the CEO said she expects consumer demand to remain somewhat uncertain amid high interest rates.

“We are currently seeing ongoing pricing pressure extending into the winter season,” she added. Air Transat is not planning on adding additional aircraft next year but anticipates stability.

“(2025) for us will be much more stable than 2024 in terms of fleet movements and operation, and this will definitely have a positive effect on cost and customer satisfaction as well,” the CEO told analysts.

“We are more and more moving away from all the disruption that we had to go through early in 2024,” she added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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