The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada

Alberta’s immigrants feeling xenophobic chill from some questions in Monday’s referendum

EDMONTON — When Gurnam Singh Dodd came to Canada in 1976, he landed first in southern Ontario, where his brother lived. At the time, the province was mired in the era of stagflation, and it was difficult to find work; but he had some friends living in Edmonton, and asked for their advice.

“Come to Alberta,” they told him. It was a land of opportunity. The economy was booming, bolstered by soaring oil and gas prices; Dodd could surely find multiple jobs within days. With that, the young Sikh newcomer packed up and headed west, looking to put down roots on the edge of the Canadian Prairies.

Nearly 50 years later, that proved to be a wise decision. Dodd worked hard to succeed in his new home, moving up from his first minimum-wage jobs to a successful career with Edmonton Transit, and then as a driver’s licence examiner. He raised a thriving family, gave back to his community and became, in all ways, a very proud Albertan.

Around the turn of the millennium, eager to do his part in the province’s public life, he joined what was then Alberta’s Progressive Conservative party, under the leadership of premier Ralph Klein. (Klein’s father, Dodd says proudly, was a friend, and helped get him into politics.)

St. Boniface University wrestles with appalling Indigenous history

To mark its 200th anniversary in 2018, the l'Université de Saint-Boniface produced a calendar that honours its history. The month of March featured a large photograph from 1938 of a priest and student actors, who were dressed as “Indians,” from a play called L'âme huronne (The Huron Soul).

The play tells of the “good” Christians struggling with witches, the devil, and Indians. It has nothing to do with actual Indigenous peoples but the fantasies and desires non-Indigenous peoples invent about Indigenous peoples. None of the actors was “Indian” – although some are named Boulet, Caron and Sumner, which are names Indigenous peoples have today.

In fact, I know none of these actors was “Indian” because in 1938 it was illegal to wear traditional clothing in public (it wasn't legal until 1951, for the anniversary of the Calgary Stampede).

In the calendar, there is no context, no explanation about how things have “changed,” or much else; and no real reason to “honour” this history at all.

Former Bisons quarterback valued by Elks

EDMONTON — Des Catellier may have been a young quarterback for the Manitoba Bisons, but Cody Fajardo saw the makings of a future coach.

It was 2019, when Fajardo was with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Catellier attended training camp with the team as part of the CFL QB Internship Program.

“He was one of the only U Sports guys that really came in and knew the whole playbook,” Fajardo, now the starting pivot for the Edmonton Elks, told the Free Press on Thursday.

“He could go in and rep just about any play on offence.”

The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada

The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 7:51 p.m. on March 29, 2020:

There are 6,320 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada.

_ Quebec: 2,840 confirmed (including 22 deaths, 1 resolved)

_ Ontario: 1,355 confirmed (including 23 deaths, 8 resolved)

The beach is missing in beach volleyball at Tokyo Olympics

The atmosphere may be missing but that didn’t deter Canada’s Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes from winning in straight sets over Netherlands in their first match.