UBC reviews award of honorary degree to former principal of B.C. residential school

Veterinarian petitions Ottawa to consider four-legged patients in legal cannabis regime

An Ontario veterinarian has launched a formal petition asking the government to include animals and the physicians who care for them in Canada's cannabis regulations.

"What we're hearing repeatedly from Health Canada... is that the entire framework surrounding cannabis legalization was focused on human consumption," said Sarah Silcox, who practices palliative and hospice care for companion animals in Ajax, Ont., and serves as president of the Canadian Association of Veterinary Cannabinoid Medicine.

"And so they hadn't even considered animals being involved in this, or veterinarians being involved in the medical side of things. And what that's left us with is this catch-22, because now it's perfectly legal for a Canadian adult to go out and purchase cannabis, and to give it to their animal, and yet veterinarians have no legal pathway to authorize its use... Therefore we're really limited in terms of the education and support that we can give our clients to ensure that they're doing that safely."

The online petition on the House of Commons e-petitions website was launched May 27, and already has more than 500 signatures — enough to require the government to table an official response in Parliament.

UBC reviews awarding of honorary degree to bishop

VANCOUVER - The University of British Columbia is reviewing its awarding of an honorary degree to a Roman Catholic bishop who was once a principal at a residential school where the remains of over 200 children have been discovered.

The university said Monday that it's aware of "community concerns" related to the degree conferred in 1986 to John O'Grady after specialists using ground-penetrating radar found grave shafts at the site of the former residential school in Kamloops.

The discovery of the remains is deeply upsetting and being taken seriously by the university, which is located on the traditional and unceded territories of two First Nations, it said in a statement.

University spokesman Matthew Ramsey said a review by UBC's senate has been expedited and the process will include consultation with Indigenous communities and academic experts.

Track records keep falling in fast Tokyo Games

Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom grabbed the first-round lead with a five-under-par round of 66, the conversation mostly revolved around the 42 C conditions in Tokyo.

Another embarrassing loss: Arniel

RALEIGH — No sticks were smashed. No walls punched. And nary a naughty word was uttered.

Instead, the Winnipeg Jets filed off the ice here at Lenovo Center on Sunday afternoon much like they’d just played the preceding game against the Carolina Hurricanes — with no emotion, no passion, no urgency.

You’d have thought yet another loss, this one in truly humiliating fashion and a ninth consecutive overall, might have triggered something.

Anything.

Manitoba film and music ambassador calling it quits

After more than three decades as a leader and champion in this province’s film and music industries, Manitoba Film & Music CEO and film commissioner Carole Vivier is retiring, effective June 2019.

Since joining MFM in 1985 — and serving at its helm for the past 26 years — Vivier has supported some of Manitoba’s biggest cultural exports, including Guy Maddin, the Weakerthans, Doc Walker, the Crash Test Dummies, Norma Bailey and Tanya Tagaq, since the beginning of their careers. She has built a local, national and international reputation for being a passionate and committed ambassador for Manitoba filmmakers, musicians, producers, creators and crew.

Vivier was not available on Tuesday to comment on the announcement, but had this to say in the press release:

“I am grateful to have been a part of this industry for the past three decades and to witness the growth and success of our amazing artists and professionals. I am immensely proud of the talent in this province. Although I will miss MFM, I am tremendously encouraged that a strong foundation is in place, from which new talent can reach even greater heights. The future of film and music in Manitoba is very bright.”

Butterworth dips under Olympic standard in 800

MONTREAL - After years of flirting with the two-minute barrier, Lindsey Butterworth finally smashed it -- in emphatic fashion.

The 27-year-old from North Vancouver, B.C., kicked hard down the final straightaway to win the women's 800 metres at the Olympic track and field trials on Friday.

Crossing the finish line, she looked at the time, and both hands flew to her mouth in delight. Butterworth won in one minute 59.19 seconds, dipping under the automatic Olympic standard of 1:59.50 -- and shattering that elusive two-minute mark, finally.

"I just saw the time and was in shock and happiness," Butterworth said.