By Canadian Press

Five stories in the news for today, Oct. 26

Oct 26, 2017 | 8:48 AM

Five stories in the news for Thursday, Oct. 26

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CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES PLEDGE MORE DIVERSITY, ACCESSIBILITY

Canadian universities have done a great job making their campuses more accessible for students with disabilities, but now have to turn more attention to helping those students get jobs, one of Canada’s leading disability advocates says. Rick Hansen, a former paralympian whose foundation is devoted to making the world a more accessible place, spoke to the presidents in Ottawa on Wednesday. Presidents of about 60 schools voted to adopt the principles which include a commitment to identify and remove barriers for women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and people with disabilities when it comes to university hiring practices, leadership roles and the student body.

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Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

PEDIATRICIANS INCREASINGLY ASKED ABOUT ASSISTED DEATH FOR KIDS: SURVEY

A new survey released today shows Canadian doctors are “increasingly” being asked about medically assisted death for children. The Canadian Paediatric Society says about 40 per cent of the 2,600 doctors it asked to participate responded to the survey. It says 35 pediatricians reported having “exploratory discussions” with patients under the age of 18 in the preceding year. Nine reported receiving “explicit requests” for assisted death from minors. Another 118 doctors said they had discussions with parents about assisted death, and 45 said they received explicit requests.

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ALBERTA PROSECUTORS SAY CASES TOSSED OVER DELAYS

An Alberta prosecutor says the Crown is being forced to toss criminal cases “on the trash heap” because of a backlog and lack of resources in the courts that appears to have no end in sight. Senior Calgary prosecutor Jonathan Hak made the comment during a Jordan application hearing this week into whether a woman found guilty in the death of her son from a strep infection should have her conviction overturned due to unreasonable delay. Hak says the court system is overloaded with criminal cases and the Crown is taking cases that are perfectly prosecutable and tossing them because they aren’t important enough.

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SCIENTISTS MAY HAVE CURE FOR FUNGUS ON BATS

Canadian scientists are racing to test a way to save bats from a deadly fungus that has already killed millions of the winged mammals. White Nose Syndrome kills hibernating bats by forcing them to wake up and groom the fungus off their bodies, wasting energy and causing them to starve by the end of the winter. Biologist Cori Lausen of the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada and her colleagues have isolated naturally occurring, fungus-fighting bacteria on bat wings and plan to put them in a powder at the entrances to the bats’ summer roosts.

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FORECASTERS CALL FOR COOL, DRY HALLOWEEN

Forecasters say the relatively cool, stable weather conditions expected this Halloween will feel like a particularly festive treat coming on the heels of a tumultuous week in much of the country. The Weather Network says parts of Ontario and Quebec will be digging out of a snowstorm in the days leading up to Oct. 31, while high winds are expected to batter areas including the Prairies and Atlantic Canada. Compared to those conditions, chief meteorologist Chris Scott says Halloween will feel like a reprieve across most of the country.

The Canadian Press