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Canada’s Cody Fournie captures wheelchair racing Paralympic gold medal

Published

2 months ago

September 3, 2024

PARIS – When Cody Fournie was at a crossroads in his athletic career, he headed for the track.

The former national wheelchair rugby team player captured wheelchair racing gold Tuesday at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

The 35-year-old from Victoria won the men’s T51 200 metres for Canada’s second gold medal in Paris after Nicholas Bennett’s swimming gold the previous evening.

“During COVID I was in a transition period and not really knowing what I was going to do,” Fournie explained Tuesday.

“I didn’t know how much longer rugby was going to go for me. I just ran into someone and they directed me to coach Geoff (Harris) and everything else is history.”

Fournie posted the fastest 200 of his career with a time of 37.64 seconds.

“It feels really good. All I can say is the hard work, the nutrition and the hydration has paid off,” the Canadian said.

Silver medallist Toni Piispanen of Finland finished in 38.55 and bronze medallist Peter Genyn of Belgium in 38.65.

Fournie earned a silver medal in the 100 metres in May at the world para athletics championship in Kobe, Japan.

He competes in that race Friday at Stade de France.

“The 200 metres has always been a very difficult thing for me,” Fournie said. “My coach and I just kept working on it. During the first 100 metres of the 200 metres, we just worked on a different style of push and it paid off.

“It was just short spurts quickly and then I was able to get into my long strides.”

A quadriplegic since the age of 11, Fournie started playing wheelchair rugby in 2010 before switching to the track just over a decade later.

“The transition from rugby to racing helps because I was putting so much time and effort into training,” he said. “What was the most difficult part about racing was getting this chair figured out.

“With not having any stomach muscles, I had to use my head to change the direction of the chair and that took quite a while to figure out.”

Fournie’s medal was Canada’s third in track and field. Wheelchair racers Brent Lakatos won a silver medal and Austin Smeenk a bronze.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2024.

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End of Manitoba legislature session includes replacement-worker ban, machete rules

Published

15 hours ago

November 7, 2024

Anne Joseph

WINNIPEG – Manitoba politicians are expected to pass several bills into law before the likely end of legislature session this evening.

The NDP government, with a solid majority of seats, is getting its omnibus budget bill through.

It enacts tax changes outlined in the spring budget, but also includes unrelated items, such as a ban on replacement workers during labour disputes.

The bill would also make it easier for workers to unionize, and would boost rebates for political campaign expenses.

Another bill expected to pass this evening would place new restrictions on the sale of machetes, in an attempt to crack down on crime.

Among the bills that are not expected to pass this session is one making it harder for landlords to raise rents above the inflation rate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024

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Father charged with second-degree murder in infant’s death: police

Published

15 hours ago

November 7, 2024

Anne Joseph

A Richmond Hill, Ont., man has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his seven-week-old infant earlier this year.

York Regional Police say they were contacted by the York Children’s Aid Society about a child who had been taken to a hospital in Toronto on Jan. 15.

They say the baby had “significant injuries” that could not be explained by the parents.

The infant died three days later.

Police say the baby’s father, 30, was charged with second-degree murder on Oct. 23.

Anyone with more information on the case is urged to contact investigators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

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Ontario fast-tracking several bills with little or no debate

Published

16 hours ago

November 7, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Ontario is pushing through several bills with little or no debate, which the government house leader says is due to a short legislative sitting.

The government has significantly reduced debate and committee time on the proposed law that would force municipalities to seek permission to install bike lanes when they would remove a car lane.

It also passed the fall economic statement that contains legislation to send out $200 cheques to taxpayers with reduced debating time.

The province tabled a bill Wednesday afternoon that would extend the per-vote subsidy program, which funnels money to political parties, until 2027.

That bill passed third reading Thursday morning with no debate and is awaiting royal assent.

Government House Leader Steve Clark did not answer a question about whether the province is speeding up passage of the bills in order to have an election in the spring, which Premier Doug Ford has not ruled out.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

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