Survivors testify as trial of alleged Quebec sword attacker resumes after COVID delay

REGINA – Scott Moe says his Saskatchewan Party would issue a directive banning “biological boys” from using school changing rooms with “biological girls” if it forms government again on Oct. 28.

Moe says the move is in response to a recent complaint that some biological males changed for gym class with girls at a school in southeast Saskatchewan.

He says school divisions should already have change room policies, but a provincial policy would ensure all have the rule in place.

The Saskatchewan Party government passed legislation last year that requires parents consent to children under 16 using different names or pronouns at school.

The law has faced backlash from some LGBTQ+ advocates who argue it violates Charter rights and could cause teachers to out or misgender children.

NDP Leader Carla Beck has said if elected her party would repeal the legislation, and she says Moe’s proposed locker room policy would make already vulnerable kids more vulnerable.

Moe said a directive would come from his education minister.

“If we are re-elected, I’ll be very clear, there will be a directive that would come from the Minister of Education that would say that biological boys will not be in the change room with biological girls,” Moe said Thursday at an election campaign news conference in Regina.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

MONTREAL – Passengers riding on Via Rail’s most heavily travelled corridor may endure a slower trip after Canadian National Railway Co. imposed restrictions on Via’s new trains.

CN last Friday said that Via’s recently arrived Siemens trainsets running between Montreal and Windsor, Ont., must lower their speed at public crossings.

Via says the rule — previously in effect only between Montreal and Quebec City — is causing delays of about 30 minutes per train on average.

It says no incidents at level crossings have been reported since the 16 Venture trains now operating first hit the rails two years ago.

CN, which owns most of the tracks used by Via in Central Canada, says it made the decision when it learned the new trains were traversing routes they had previously steered clear of.

The company says that in order to maintain higher speeds through crossings, Via would need to add cars to the new trainsets in order to raise their axle count for reasons tied to signalling and speed detection.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

TORONTO – Hot Docs says it will gradually resume programming in early December and host another edition of Canada’s largest documentary film festival next spring, after months of restructuring and cost-cutting.

The struggling organization had temporarily closed its flagship Toronto theatre in May and laid off staff over the summer, citing “urgent” financial challenges.

Hot Docs says it has made “significant progress” over the last four months to address its deficit and governance issues as it looks for a new leader.

The return of programming at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema is set to begin Dec. 4, with another season of the Doc Soup film screening series.

The 32 edition of the Hot Docs Festival will run from April 24 to May 4, 2025, with an expected lineup of more than 100 documentaries.

Hot Docs says it’s also actively seeking a new owner for its Toronto cinema as part of a long-term rebuilding strategy.

The organization’s interim executive director, Janice Dawe, says an outpouring of support from sponsors, donors, and the public sector is allowing Hot Docs to move forward.

“We would not be in this position if it weren’t for these champions of Hot Docs – from the individual donors who gave during our spring campaign, to the incredibly gracious donors who converted their designated gifts to operational support and to the many elected officials at all levels of government who are standing up for culture and working diligently to help secure funding,” Dawe said in a news release Thursday.

The Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema reopened on a limited basis last month for third-party rentals and select screening events. At that time, Hot Docs said it would gradually welcome back staff who had been laid off and seek a new head with leadership experience in the Canadian non-profit arts sector.

The organization’s president Marie Nelson stepped down in July after just one year in the role. She had faced criticism from some observers who questioned why her primary residence was in the U.S.

There was also a mass exodus of Hot Docs staff just before the announcement of the festival’s 2024 lineup, with departing programmers citing a “toxic workplace.”

Hot Docs says it is now accepting applications for a permanent executive director “who will not only excel in leadership but also resonate with our mission and community,” and its scaled-down board of directors plans to rebuild its membership this winter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.