B.C. government continues the pandemic wage top-up for care home workers

Cottage communities constrained by COVID

TORONTO - A springtime trickle of Manitobans entering Ontario to visit their lakeside cottages alarmed Kenora Mayor Daniel Reynard a month ago.

Now that Manitoba is poised to restart some non-essential services Monday, Reynard fears an even bigger influx — this time sun-seekers expecting amenities that are simply unavailable.

The message in Ontario is still one of restraint: Avoid non-essential travel, and do not visit your cottage. Provincial travel is not prohibited, but vacationers and day-trippers will find little to do.

Restaurants are closed, as are all beaches, golf courses, parks, trails and marinas.

The Leaf at Assiniboine Park welcomes first visitors

The parking lot was full and Winnipeggers came out in droves Saturday morning for the public opening of The Leaf, the new indoor horticultural attraction at Assiniboine Park.

Performance (ice-cream) art

As 2020 resolutions counter temptation, Teri-Lynn Friesen and Élise Page will be waiting to console those who slip — and they’ll have ice-cream scoops at the ready.

Late last year, the creative duo opened Fête — Winnipeg’s newest coffee and ice-cream parlour, offering an ever-changing menu of 16 made-in-house ice-cream flavours, affogato and, if it’s Sunday morning, pancakes.

There’s also no pressure to pick a flavour at first sight; the shop offers unlimited samples.

“If you gave up coffee, we’re here for you when you need to come back. If you gave up sweets, we’re also here for you,” said Friesen, co-owner of the shop at 300 Assiniboine Ave.

B.C. government continues the pandemic wage top-up for care home workers

VICTORIA - The British Columbia government is extending its COVID-19 wage top-ups for staff at seniors facilities, but the restriction that limited those workers to one work site has been lifted.

The province began the temporary wage increases for clinical staff in long-term care and assisted-living facilities shortly after the pandemic began.

John Horgan promised during the last election that the government would continue to spend more than $10 million a month on the level up for wages and make it permanent, if the NDP was re-elected.

However, the province says in a statement issued Friday that it is renewing its commitment to "temporarily fund the increases."

Russian Olympic biathlon champion loses Sochi doping case

GENEVA - Two-time Olympic biathlon champion Olga Zaitseva lost her appeal Thursday against disqualification from the 2014 Sochi Olympics for her part in Russia’s state-backed doping program.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its judges upheld the International Olympic Committee’s disciplinary ruling of 2017, which used evidence against Zaitseva from Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov.

Zaitseva’s disqualification from all her Sochi events strips Russia of its silver medal in the women’s biathlon 4x6-kilometre relay. She won — and will retain — her gold medals from the same relay event at the two previous Winter Games in 2006 and 2010.

Her lawyer in Switzerland, Yvan Henzer, said Zaitseva would appeal the CAS ruling at Switzerland’s supreme court. The federal court typically only intervenes if legal process was abused.