SaskPower was sentenced Friday morning in a Weyburn courtroom, receiving a record fine, after being found guilty of three workplace-safety related violations when two experienced employees were killed on the job in 2020.
Hong Kong quarantine exemption for Nicole Kidman draws flak
Hong Kong's granting of a quarantine exemption to Hollywood star Nicole Kidman is drawing criticism from lawmakers as the city tightens entry restrictions for international travelers to control the coronavirus.
Kidman, who reportedly flew to Hong Kong last week from coronavirus-hit Sydney, was exempted from a weeklong quarantine and was spotted in the city this week filming a new Amazon Prime Video series titled "Expats," according to local media reports.
The government said in a statement Thursday that it had granted the exemption "for the purpose of performing designated professional work."
It said the work was "conducive to maintaining the necessary operation and development of Hong Kong's economy."
Some Hong Kong lawmakers criticized the decision.
"Nicole Kidman's exemption case is not just about politics, it involves the health security issue and is a matter of unfairness," said lawmaker Priscilla Leung.
Leung said she herself was not exempted from quarantine when a family member was infected with the coronavirus.
Kidman's exemption sets a precedent for other celebrities in the future, said lawmaker Michael Tien.
"(Even) our athletes who came back from the Tokyo Olympics were required to have seven days of quarantine," he said.
Kidman's exemption comes as the Hong Kong government has tightened entry requirements for travelers, adding 15 countries including the U.S. to the high-risk category and requiring vaccinated travelers from medium-risk countries to spend 14 days in quarantine effective Friday.
Previously, those traveling from medium-risk countries could quarantine for just seven days in a designated hotel if they had a valid vaccination record and a positive COVID-19 antibodies test.
Authorities say Kidman is obliged to comply with virus rules in Hong Kong, and is required to submit an itinerary and travel in a private vehicle to avoid contact with the public.
"With this exemption, it doesn't mean that she can go anywhere she wants," Edward Yau, Hong Kong's secretary for commerce and economic development, said Friday.
Reactions from residents were mixed.
"I think the quarantine period cannot be shortened, because we all know that you can still test positive even after 14 days of quarantine, and even if you are vaccinated," said Sum Yip, a nursing student. "If the government shortens the quarantine period, it cannot protect the people."
But David Peatfield, a teacher from the U.K., said he did not mind the exemption for Kidman because she was vaccinated and her series would bring "good publicity" to Hong Kong.
He said filming the series in Hong Kong would also bring jobs to the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House committee to summon RCMP, ministers over allegations of Indian interference
The head of the RCMP and Canada's ministers of foreign affairs and public safety will be summoned to testify at a House of Commons committee about the bombshell allegations made this week about Indian state-sponsored interference in Canada.
Thousands of hybrid vehicles recalled in Canada over risk of fire
An increased risk of fire has prompted the recall of thousands of Honda hybrid vehicles in Canada.
Police were called to a frozen yogurt shop in Richmond, B.C., Wednesday after a man went behind the counter and scooped some of the product with his hand.
U.S. to probe Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after pedestrian killed in low visibility conditions
The U.S. government's road safety agency is again investigating Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system, this time after getting reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian.
The federal and Manitoba governments have signed a deal to expand food programs.
Scientists pinpoint the origins of humanity's love of carbs
The origin of modern humans' long-standing love affair with carbs may predate our existence as a species, according to a new study.
Russia returns 500 dead soldiers to Ukraine as world leaders mull next steps
Russia on Friday returned to Ukraine the bodies of 501 soldiers, Ukrainian authorities said, in what appeared to be the biggest repatriation of war dead since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
What's a 'Jezebel spirit'? Some Christians use the term to paint Kamala Harris with a demonic brush
Christian nationalist leaders are telling followers that U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is under the influence of a 'Jezebel spirit,' using a term with deeply racist and misogynistic roots that is setting off alarm bells for religious and political scholars.
Local Spotlight
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that – and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.
A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.
A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the ‘Fellow in Yellow.’
John Cantin vividly remembers opening day for his Victoria diner. Stress levels were high, tables were full, and one of the most popular menu items couldn’t be freed from the unyielding grip of the waffle maker.
A Manitoba professor is warning the public after a book on regional mushrooms that he suspects is AI-generated was delisted from Amazon.
A B.C. judge has issued a decision in a years-long dispute between neighbours that began with a noise complaint over barking dogs, crowing roosters and quacking ducks – awarding $15,000 in damages to the plaintiffs in the case.
An Ottawa man was arrested after taking a shower in a stranger's house, Ottawa police say.
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.
The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19.