Here are the facts about British Columbia’s wildfire situation on July 26

WINNIPEG – Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs will lie in state at the provincial legislature following her sudden death.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew made the announcement during a news conference Saturday morning where the province’s Indigenous leaders paid tribute to the late leader.

Merrick was outside the Winnipeg Law Courts building on Friday talking to reporters about two court cases when she said she felt dizzy and fell to the ground.

Fire and paramedic crews arrived, performed chest compressions and carried Merrick away on a stretcher to an ambulance, but she did not survive.

Kinew says the decision to have Merrick lie in state at the legislature was made in consultation with her family as well as the leadership of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, where Merrick was a former chief.

He says Merrick did a tremendous service to all people in Manitoba, and he wats all Manitobans to appreciate that.

“She moved the needle in the direction of righteousness and justice and kindness, and also reconciliation,” Kinew told the news conference at the headquarters of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents more than two dozen northern Manitoba First Nation communities.

Kinew said the decision would also mean people who won’t be able to travel to Pimicikamak will be able to pay their respects to Merrick in Winnipeg.

He said details on when Merrick will lie in state are being worked out, and an announcement will come later.

Merrick took over the helm of the chiefs assembly in 2022 and was the first woman elected to the role.

She supported families of the victims of serial killer Jeremy Skibicki, pushing long and hard for authorities to search a landfill where the remains of two of the four Indigenous women are believed to be.

She also championed reform of the child welfare system, and called for better transportation, health care and other services in First Nation communities.

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

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

VICTORIA – The company operating British Columbia’s ferries says divers have recovered a propeller that fell off one of its vessels and triggered an oil spill earlier this week, but notes it will take six months to complete the needed repairs.

A statement from BC Ferries says the propeller from the 60 year-old Queen of New Westminster — which weighs about 4,500 kilograms — was pulled from the seabed Saturday morning after two days of recovery work.

Officials took the ferry out of service earlier this week after discovering the starboard propeller had “sheared off from its propulsion shaft.”

The incident also saw about 800 litres of light hydraulic oil spilled into surrounding waters, though BC Ferries says the type of oil leaked “disperses quickly in the marine environment” and no oil sheens have been detected.

The company says a preliminary visual inspection suggests the propeller shaft may have fractured due to structural fatigue, and the repairs are expected to be significant and involve completely disassembling port and starboard propeller systems.

It estimates the full repair could take half a year, noting the work will also depend on global parts availability and manufacturing timelines.

Meanwhile, all of the vessel’s sailings up to Sept. 30 have been cancelled, and BC Ferries says it’s looking at ways to add additional trips on other boats.

CEO Nicolas Jimenez said the company plans to ask the BC Ferries Commission for permission to add a net new vessel to its major routes, adding impact to service would have been minimal this week if the company had a backup craft.

The Queen of New Westminster operates on the popular Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route between Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria. It can carry more than 250 cars and 1,300 passengers.

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

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.