Latest news with #Albertan
Calgary Herald
12 hours ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Alberta Innovates invests $340k in province-wide wearable technology
Alberta Innovates is supporting a province-wide wearable technologies initiative to the tune of $340,750. Article content The funding will allow small and medium-sized enterprises to access facilities at the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta, and help move products from prototype to final, releasable product. Article content Article content The Sport Product Testing program had already been working with large clients such as Under Armour and Adidas. The funding will instead go directly to providing smaller teams with that same opportunity to test and validate their emerging wearable tech, otherwise a struggle in the province. Article content 'They are doing things internally, potentially, and they are doing things, if I will say, not properly,' said business development manager for the sport institute, Pro Stergiou. Article content Article content Wearable heart rate monitoring tools from small Albertan developers will be able to compare their results to a full electrocardiogram, allowing them to refine their algorithms and give more accurate results. Sport-specific technology will be granted access to the world-class athletes who train in the facility for their testing data. Without that access to these validation tools, smaller organizations can struggle to make it to market. Article content Article content Stergiou still thinks the industry has plenty of room to grow. After working with some of the largest wearable technology companies in the market, he sees plenty of gaps for smaller teams from Alberta to fill, not just with data collection, but with information analysis. Article content 'Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, all these companies in the wearable device space, they're introducing more and more and more data to the consumer, but they're not helping the consumer — as a health-conscious consumer, as a sport consumer — understand what the data means,' Stergiou said. Article content Article content Adam Kingsmill uses wearable technology every day. He's a Canadian Paralympic sledge hockey goalie who played on the teams that won silver at the Beijing 2022 Paralympics and the world championship in 2024. Article content Kingsmill tracks the miles he runs, bikes or skates. Throughout the long training period of a full season, he says it is a powerful tool to monitor load management and keep himself and the team away from injury.
Edmonton Journal
3 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Oilers flasher Kait Flynn seen as last hope in Edmonton's bid to win Stanley Cup: 'We need her!!!'
Article content With the Edmonton Oilers on the ropes heading into Tuesday night's Game 6 matchup against the Florida Panthers, fans are calling on the team's most notorious fan to help save their season and bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada. With The Cats one win away from winning their second Stanley Cup, Barstool Sports shared a photo of Kait Flynn to social media that showed the Albertan being lit up in the night sky like Batman's Bat-signal.
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Oilers flasher Kait Flynn seen as last hope in Edmonton's bid to win Stanley Cup: 'We need her!!!'
Kait Flynn went viral during last year's NHL playoffs when she flashed the jumbotron during the concluding moments of Game 5 of the NHL Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars. Photo by Kait Flynn / Instagram With the Edmonton Oilers on the ropes heading into Tuesday night's Game 6 matchup against the Florida Panthers, fans are calling on the team's most notorious fan to help save their season and bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account With The Cats one win away from winning their second Stanley Cup, Barstool Sports shared a photo of Kait Flynn to social media that showed the Albertan being lit up in the night sky like Batman's Bat-signal. 'Only one person can save the Oilers,' they wrote in a post that has been viewed more than 5.8 million times. ' Where is she? We need her!!!' one follower responded, with another adding emphatically, 'Bring her back.' One user asked Grok, an AI assistant and chatbot developed by xAI, if it agreed that Flynn's reemergence is Edmonton's best hope for winning Tuesday night and it replied with a cheeky response. 'I get the humour in suggesting a viral fan like Kate could 'save' the Oilers, but let's be real — games are won on the ice, not by memes,' it wrote. 'The post is a fun nod to fan passion, not a serious fix for a 2-1 deficit in the Finals. No single person, even a famous fan, swings a series. Players like McDavid need to step up. Still, the Bat-Signal gag is a solid laugh for the fanbase.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Flynn became known as the 'Oilers Girl' during last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs when she flashed her breasts during the final moments of Game 5 of the Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars. As the Oilers made their way to the NHL Finals, Flynn managed to keep her sudden fame going with appearances on the popular Spittin' Chiclets podcast and a gig modelling for Playboy . 'So you know what? At the end of the day, I got drunk and whipped my t*** out at an Oilers game, and they went viral? F*** you if you don't like it. Woo! Go Oilers!' she said . Flynn added to her viral fame by posting her Game 7 Stanley Cup Finals prediction from the shower. 'Without a doubt … McJesus (Connor McDavid) is going to lead the Oilers to victory and the Cup is coming back to Edmonton,' she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Oilers lost in heartbreaking fashion 2-1 to the Florida Panthers, but that didn't stop her from keeping fans interested in her every move. When the season ended, Flynn took to her Instagram Stories to share a slideshow of inspiring messages, including a snap from a mock reel in which NHL commissioner Gary Bettman awarded her the Conn Smythe trophy. 'For the first time in NHL history, we are giving the award to a fan,' an AI-generated clip of Bettman said . 'The winner of the 2024 Conn Smythe trophy is Kait Flynn, otherwise known as 'Oilers Girl.' When the Oilers were down three to nothing in the Stanley Cup Finals, she whipped out her jugs and sent this Edmonton team into a frenzy. Please, everyone, join me in congratulating Oilers Girl!' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Flynn told Barstool Sports that she had guzzled about eight Truly hard seltzers and a bunch of Cheezies before deciding to show off her assets. 'It wasn't planned or anything … and yeah, it just kind of happened,' she said. She also took to her own Instagram to fire back at critics who took issue with her brazen moment. 'I thought long and hard what I wanted to say to everybody. … I just wanted to say, you could be the most perfect, Godly f***ing person in the world. You could save kittens from the river if they were drowning. Someone's still going to hate you,' Flynn said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. During an appearance on Bachelorette alum Kaitlyn Bristowe's Off the Vine podcast last summer, Flynn said that she called her mother to see if she could 'debrief dad that my t*** are on the internet' as she achieved overnight fame. Reflecting on the moment she decided to flash the camera, Flynn told Bristowe that she got caught up in the moment because 'everybody was going psycho' in the arena around her. 'I've flashed a million times, if we're being honest,' she told Bristowe. 'It's just something I do … I didn't think twice about it.' On the Off the Vine podcast, Flynn said she was happy to earn a little extra dough, but called her notoriety 'overwhelming.' 'I mean, like, I'm happy with the way things are going in my bank account,' Flynn said. 'But, like, the attention and all that's been overwhelming to the max. It's not ever who I am. Like, I never really had like really a social media presence.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Flynn has been quiet about the Oilers during this year's NHL Playoffs, last sharing a captionless glam shot with her more than 67,000 Instagram followers back in April. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But throughout the season she posted content to her Playboy page which promised subscribers 'exclusive peeks & flirty chats.' 'I definitely made more money than I ever imagined was going to come from something like this,' Flynn said of her deal during an appearance on the On the Throne podcast last September . And Flynn revealed what she has done with some of the money she's earned from her photo spreads. 'I've never had just f*** you money,' Flynn said of her arrangement with the adult site. 'I've not been dumb with the money, I'm not out partying like a rock star or anything. I bought a pickup (with the) cash.' mdaniell@ Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs Canada Music Toronto & GTA
Global News
4 days ago
- Health
- Global News
Health-care workers urge Alberta to halt plan limiting free COVID-19 vaccines
Unions representing health-care workers in Alberta and doctors who care for those who are gravely ill are calling on Premier Danielle Smith's government to reverse course and provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all front-line workers and any other Albertan who wants the shot. Late last Friday afternoon, the province announced almost all Albertans who want to continue to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus will have to pay for the vaccine out of pocket for it. 'The way that we prevent people from coming into hospital is preventative medicine, which we're absolutely not doing by de-restricting or causing people to have to pay for these things,' said Dr. Darren Markland, a nephrologist and intensive care physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton. 'The people who are most at risk or most marginalized are the ones who least can afford these vaccines.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The people who are most at risk or most marginalized are the ones who least can afford these vaccines." Story continues below advertisement Smith said the new policy aims to prevent wastage, recover costs and protect those who need the vaccine most by giving it to them for free. Speaking Saturday on her call-in radio show the morning after her government announced the move, Smith said $135 million got 'flushed down the drain' last year with doses wasted in part because Albertans are increasingly choosing to not take them. 'I think it's because it doesn't work particularly well, if you want the truth,' Smith said. Just under 14 per cent of Alberta's 4.8 million residents got vaccinated for the virus last season. 'We believe in vaccine choice, but we don't pay for everything,' Smith said. Going forward, the vaccines will still be covered by the province for select groups of high-risk individuals such as seniors, people who live in congregate living, those with underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised, and Albertans who require social support such as AISH or are homeless. However, most Albertans, including health-care workers and seniors who live independently, will have to pay out of pocket. 2:18 Majority of Albertans to pay for COVID-19 vaccine The United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) called it a 'politically motivated move.' Story continues below advertisement 'This is an extremely dangerous policy that will increase health-care costs as well as stress on the health-care system,' said UNA president Heather Smith. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The government's claim that this is being done to save money and recover costs makes no sense from a moral or logical perspective. This policy is wrong for health-care workers and wrong for all Albertans.' 'Once again this government has completely ignored both the expertise and safety of health-care workers.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Once again this government has completely ignored both the expertise and safety of health-care workers." In addition to adding a fee, in most cases, the COVID-19 vaccine will only be available through public health clinics and pharmacies will no longer be administering the vaccine. While the province said work is underway to determine what the final cost will be per vaccine, it noted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates a cost of $110 per vaccine dose. In making the announcement on Friday, the government pointed out that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the United States — which is headed by longtime anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — recently stopped recommending routine COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada countered that COVID-19 vaccination 'remains safe and strongly recommended' during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Alberta doctors say these days, this province should not be taking advice from any medical association based in the United States. Story continues below advertisement 'We have ongoing disinformation from the Alberta government,' Markland said. 'We have our health providers taking information from the FDA, which is under some pretty nefarious leadership right now. 'We have a very anti-science government. There's a reason why people aren't hearing about vaccines. We're not doing our due diligence to get the word out that vaccines prevent sickness and keep you out of hospital.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We have a very anti-science government. There's a reason why people aren't hearing about vaccines. We're not doing our due diligence to get the word out that vaccines prevent sickness and keep you out of hospital." The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) said keeping the vaccine free for health-care workers is the best way to protect patients, reduce hospitalizations and keep the health-care system strong. HSAA vice-president Leanne Alfaro said COVID-19 continues to put vulnerable Albertans at risk and vaccines remain the most effective tool for protecting both individuals and broader health system. She also said workers should not be expected to put themselves in harm's way without basic protection. 'No one wants to see life-saving vaccines discarded unused,' Alfaro said in a statement on Monday. 'HSAA shares the government's concern about reducing vaccine waste and ensuring public health dollars are spent wisely. However, we are very concerned this change will limit access to COVID-19 vaccines for many Albertans, especially frontline health care professionals who deserve to be protected.' In January, the UCP government released a controversial report that called on the province to halt the use of the COVID-19 vaccine. Story continues below advertisement The report was commissioned shortly after Smith swept to power in late 2022, promising to redress the COVID-19 grievances of her supporters. However, critics lambasted the report calling it 'a sad document — that lacks significant credibility.' 1:11 Alberta measles cases highest in 50 years Alberta, which is grappling with a spike in measles cases not seen for several decades, is falling well short of the 95 per cent immunization rate experts say is needed to protect the population. Markland fears with the recent resurgence in diseases previously eradicated, such as measles, other life-altering diseases like polio could also return to Alberta. 'It's a highly infectious virus and to have polio come back is a legitimate possibility. Once you're paralyzed, that's it — you have polio. You are on a ventilator for the rest of your life. Story continues below advertisement 'You wanna see things get real expensive? Try claiming long-term disability and ventilation services from the Alberta government.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "You wanna see things get real expensive? Try claiming long-term disability and ventilation services from the Alberta government." The polio and measles vaccines are provided free of cost to Albertans as part of routine immunization. The province said starting Aug. 11, eligible Albertans will be able to signal their intent to receive the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines by pre-ordering through the Alberta Vaccine Booking System. 'It is absolutely irresponsible to force health-care workers in both public and private workplaces to place orders in August and pay to receive a vaccine that is an essential component of workplace health and safety,' Smith said in a statement. 'This will drive even more health care workers out of Alberta.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This will drive even more health care workers out of Alberta." The UNA said its occupational health and safety and professional responsibility teams will be meeting and reporting on possible strategies to take action if the government doesn't reverse course. The HSAA is the trade union that represents 30,000 paramedical technical, professional and general support employees in the public and private health-care sectors of Alberta. — More to come… — With files from Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press and Ken MacGillivray, Global News
Edmonton Journal
4 days ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Health-care union calls for Alberta government to halt plan to limit free vaccines
Article content EDMONTON — A union representing 30,000 health-care workers in Alberta is calling on Premier Danielle Smith's government to reverse course and provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all front-line workers and any other Albertan who wants the shot. The Health Sciences Association of Alberta says that is the best way to protect patients, reduce hospitalizations, and keep the health-care system strong.
