Here are five stories to know today, with the focus first on Cornwall, SDG&A and Akwesasne, then on the Supreme Court of Canada hearing on the federal firearms ban.
Free bus rides and closures in Cornwall for Remembrance Day
City of Cornwall administrative offices and the Cornwall Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, for Remembrance Day, the City says. Cornwall Transit buses will run their regular schedule, and rides will be free from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for anyone travelling to or from the Cenotaph at Pitt and Second Street or Royal Canadian Legion Branch 297 at 415 Second Street West; riders need to tell the driver where they are going. The Transit and Environmental Services offices will be closed, but the City says waste collection will not be affected. The Benson Centre keeps regular hours, while the Civic Complex opens from 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the Aquatic Centre from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The free rides make it easier for residents without a car to attend the downtown ceremony. Source: City of Cornwall.
Amateur radio operators could back up Cornwall emergency communications
The Seaway Valley Amateur Radio Club recently hosted Cornwall Deputy Fire Chief Leighton Woods, who is also chief designate of Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services, for a talk called When Communications Fail, Cornwall Seaway News reports. Woods walked through the city’s emergency management program and the problems responders face when regular communication systems go down, and described how amateur radio operators could step in as backup. Ideas discussed included building amateur radio into Cornwall’s Emergency Response Plan, keeping a roster of trained operators and equipment, and taking part in yearly emergency exercises. Club president Earnest Vinson pointed to the possibility of placing an amateur radio operator and station at a municipal command post. The club is inviting residents interested in radio and emergency communications to get involved, a practical way to help the city stay connected in a crisis. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.
Apple Hill rescue farm fundraiser previews Dr. Dolittle Jr.
Bee Meadow Farm in Apple Hill held a Save the Animals fundraiser on November 7 with the SD&G Chapter of the OSPCA and the Seaway Valley Theatre Company, The Seeker reported. Cast members from the theatre company’s upcoming Dr. Dolittle Jr. performed songs, and proceeds went to the farm, the OSPCA chapter and the theatre company. Owners Natalie Rowe and Gordon Campbell bought the farm in 2007, and it became an animal rescue farm in 2014; it is a private not-for-profit that relies on volunteers and donations, with fundraisers helping cover veterinary bills and medication. The musical is scheduled at the Aultsville Theatre in Cornwall on Saturday, December 5, at 1:30 and 4 p.m., and Sunday, December 6, at 1:30 p.m., with reserved seats at $18, $25 and $35. It is an easy way for families to support local animal rescue and community theatre at the same time. Source: The Seeker.
Akwesasne youth share culture at world suicide prevention conference
Youth from Akwesasne travelled to New Zealand for the three-day World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference in Waikato, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne says. Staff from Akwesasne Child & Family Services, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and the MCA Department of Health supported the group on the trip. The youth and staff performed traditional songs and dances and shared Kanien’kehá culture and teachings with other delegates. They also took part in panels, presentations and discussions on how Indigenous traditions and community connections can help prevent suicide, and exchanged traditional gifts with other Indigenous participants. The Council says more stories and photos from the trip will follow, as the community brings lessons from the gathering home. Source: Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.
Supreme Court to hear challenge to federal firearms ban
The Supreme Court of Canada is scheduled to hear arguments today and Tuesday on whether the federal ban on hundreds of firearm types is valid, The Canadian Press reports. The government banned about 1,500 models and variants, including the AR-15 and Ruger Mini-14, in May 2020, and the list has since grown to more than 2,500. Challengers, including the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, lost in the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal and argue the ban fails the legal test, since the law bars cabinet from banning guns it considers reasonable for hunting or sport. Federal lawyers say the 2020 ban affected an estimated 3 to 5 per cent of firearm owners and that thousands of other guns remain legal for hunting and sport. Owners in Cornwall and SDG should note that the amnesty to dispose of or deactivate banned firearms, once set to end October 30, 2026, now runs until 90 days after the Supreme Court rules. Source: The Canadian Press (via Lethbridge Herald).
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