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Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Health
- Toronto Star
New measles cases increase for third week in northern Ontario public health unit
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Winnipeg Free Press
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoban's storied career a reflection of how far women's hockey has come
Jocelyne Larocque has seen a lot of things during her decorated hockey career. But the 37-year-old from Ste. Anne admits the multiple plot twists she experienced this past season were a shock to the system. A blockbuster trade. A thrilling run to the Professional Women's Hockey League Final. A heartbreaking Walter Cup defeat. A stress-filled expansion process. The departure of four talented teammates. And, above all, the continued rise of her sport in North America. It's quite a story, one the two-time Olympic gold medallist shared with the Free Press during a phone chat this week as she finally had the chance to catch her breath. ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Ottawa Charge defender Jocelyne Larocque (23) celebrates her goal in Game 2 of the Walter Cup Final against the Minnesota Frost. 'I feel so lucky and grateful to be part of this,' Larocque said of what she believes is a golden era in women's hockey. 'You know, I have past teammates that are older than me, the same age as me, younger than me, that are like, 'Man, we're so jealous.' I'm like, 'Yeah, I would be too. Like, I get to experience what we fought for.'' Larocque started the year patrolling the blue-line for the Toronto Sceptres, one of original six teams of the PWHL which began play a year ago. She finished it as a member of the Ottawa Charge, courtesy of a four-player deal that went down in late December between the clubs. 'I won't lie — it was a shock. I assumed with my age I was going to retire in Toronto. When I got the call I was being traded, I was speechless,' she said. Those initial emotions quickly turned into excitement. 'I was happy it was Ottawa. I like their style of play. They're hard-working, try to make the other team's life as hard as possible. They're a physical team,' she said. 'I was happy to stay in Canada so I tried to look at the positives. For me, with my experiences in hockey and in life, I try to think when things are outside of my control, I just try to convince myself that they're for my best interest. So even on the drive through Ottawa, I was like, 'this is going to work out better for you.' And the transition went better than I expected.' With Larocque providing steady two-way play, the Charge lived up to their name. They finished third in the regular-season standings with a record of 14-12-4 — four points behind her old team in Toronto — but really turned it on when the stakes got higher. They upset the No. 1 ranked Montreal Victoire 3-1 in the opening best-of-five playoff series, with their only defeat being a quadruple-overtime classic. Then came a showdown with defending champion Minnesota, who had knocked off Toronto in the other semifinal. SPENCER COLBY / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Ste. Anne's Jocelyn Larocque (right) was drafted second overall in the inaugural Professional Women's League Hockey draft in 2023 by Toronto. All four games required overtime and ended 2-1. Ottawa took Game 1 but dropped the next three, including a triple-OT marathon in Game 3. 'It was so much fun,' said Larocque, who had four points (1G, 3A) in eight playoff games, adding onto her seven points (0G, 7A) in 30 regular-season games. 'I think back to when I was a kid and remember being on the outdoor rink, pretending you're playing Game 7. Most of the championships I've played in the past, they've always been just one game. But to be in a series is so fun.' Exhausting, too. 'My body hurt after it, but it was a blast,' she said. 'We were two shots away from winning a Walter Cup, and obviously it didn't go our way. But with how close the games were, how competitive it was, it was a blast.' Then came some additional pain. Larocque and her Ottawa teammates had grown close — a bond tested by the league's aggressive expansion which will add Vancouver and Seattle next season. They will be the seventh and eighth teams in the PWHL, which saw its average attendance jump 27 per cent to 7,230 per game compared to the inaugural campaign. Each of the six existing teams was allowed to protect only three players, leaving the rest vulnerable in a draft. Larocque wasn't protected, sparking some anxious moments as she waited to learn her fate. 'You're just waiting for the unknown,' she said. Ultimately, her name wasn't called. But the Charge lost four major pieces: top defender Ashton Bell (another Manitoban and 2022 Olympic teammate) and starting goalie Emerance Maschmeyer went to Vancouver; forward Danielle Serdachny and defender Aneta Tejralová to Seattle. SUPPLIED Jocelyne Larocque poses with her niece and nephew, twins Rylan and Graclyn, before the start of a Walter Cup Final game in Minnesota. 'After our final game everybody was bawling. And it was for that reason — we knew this wasn't even going to be close to what the Charge would look like next year,' said Larocque. 'All four players that are leaving, it's gut-wrenching. There weren't four players I would have been okay with leaving, but the ones that did, oh man. I don't know if I've even fully processed that they're not going to be on the team next year.' The other five teams were decimated, too, which has led to some pundits suggesting the expansion rules should have been tweaked. Larocque sees both sides of the coin, recognizing it's important to have a competitive league which brings out the best in everyone. 'You know, on one hand you're happy that there's more jobs for tremendous women hockey players. With the calibre of play, there could be probably double the teams,' she said. 'So you want it to expand, but yeah, it's tough. I'm happy that they didn't do this expansion in, like, September. It's nice that we know now (to process).' Speaking of expansion, Larocque continues to hold out hope that Winnipeg will one day be in the mix provided a potential owner steps forward to express interest. 'I can't see why they wouldn't be,' she said. 'Winnipeg is such a great hockey city, a central location. I totally see it in the future.' Larocque isn't sure if she'll still be playing when that happens — 'we're all getting older, right?' — but she also isn't thinking about hanging up her skates any time soon. Along with preparing for her third PWHL season, she also has her eye on what she hopes will be a fourth straight stint on the Canadian Olympic team, this time in Milan in February. 'I don't focus on my age,' said Larocque, who was the first female to ever play in the Winnipeg High School Boys league back in 2003 and went on to play four years with the University of Minnesota-Duluth before graduating and turning pro in 2011. 'I mean, it does take work — eating properly, staying in shape, all those things. And I might be a little more sore after games. But I actually think I'm getting better every year.' SUPPLIED From left: Ste. Anne's Jocelyne Larocque, Brandon's Kristen Campbell and Deloraine's Ashton Bell pose with their gold medals at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Larocque's Ottawa Charge teammate Bell was recently traded to Vancouver in the PWHL expansion draft. She notes luck has also been on her side in terms of avoiding any serious injuries during her career, along with a serious dose of love for what she does. 'An Olympic year is always super exciting. A lot of their decisions will be based on what happens in the PWHL. So, for me, it's just ensuring I have a really good off-season and work hard to be a part of that team,' said Larocque. 'When I was a kid, people would tell me that I couldn't play professional hockey because I was a girl. Now, girls can. I feel lucky and I feel grateful. It gives me a lot of joy.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike. Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Hart for Hellebuyck heard through the grapevine?
This might be the equivalent of scoring on your own net. It appears the NHL may have sprung a leak and drowned out any drama surrounding two major year-end award winners. A photo currently making the rounds on social media appears to show Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck kneeling in front of the Vezina and Hart trophies. Whoopsie! FRED GREENSLADE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Video leaked over the weekend that showed Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck with both the Vezina and Hart trophies. The official announcement will be made Thursday. It's not clear where the image originated and one should always be wary of manipulation and fakes in this age of artificial intelligence. Neither the league nor the Jets will comment. But it's an intriguing twist considering the league has done away with a traditional awards ceremony this season, opting for a more grassroots approach to handing out hockey hardware. They have been pre-recording videos recently in which the winners of various honours, including the Selke Trophy, Masterton and Jack Adams, have been surprised on the spot. There's still a few more big ones to come, including the best goaltender and league MVP, which are set to be unveiled this Thursday at 5 p.m. CT in an hour-long TV special before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. The purported Hellebuyck photo, which appears to have been taken near a lake, includes a large boom microphone hanging above him and an unidentified person capturing the moment on their phone. There's no question Hellebuyck is a slam-dunk to win the Vezina, which would be his second-straight and third overall. The 32-year-old essentially lapped the goaltending field this past year as he went 47-12-3 in 62 starts with a 2.00 goals-against-average, a .925 save percentage and eight shutouts. Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings) are the other two finalists, but the only mystery is which one is going to finish second to Hellebuyck. The much bigger development would be Hellebuyck becoming just the eighth goaltender in NHL history — and the first since Carey Price in 2014-15 — to capture the Hart. Tampa's Nikita Kucherov (who led the league in points) and Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl (who scored the most goals) are the other two finalists, and Kucherov was just named the Ted Lindsay Award winner as 'most outstanding player' as voted on by fellow skaters. The Hart is decided by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, while NHL general managers vote on the Vezina. All ballots had to be turned in before the playoffs, where Hellebuyck struggled at times in going 6-7 with a 3.08 goals-against average and .866 save percentage. Stay tuned. And, if Hellebuyck does take home the hardware, at least pretend to act surprised. Scott Arniel will have to settle for second-best this time around. The Jets head coach finished as the runner-up to Washington Capitals bench boss Spencer Carbery for the Jack Adams Award, which was announced this past weekend. Carbery received 81 of the 103 first-place votes cast by members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association and finished with 464 voting points overall. Arniel got 16 first-place votes and had 249 points, while Marty St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens was third with 66 points. A total of 13 different coaches received at least one vote for first, second or third. Funny enough, neither Paul Maurice (Florida) or Kris Knoblauch (Edmonton) were among them, despite their teams meeting in the Stanley Cup for the second straight spring. Carbery led the Capitals to top spot in the Eastern Conference and second overall in the regular-season standings behind only Arniel's Jets, who went a franchise-best 56-22-4. Both Washington and Winnipeg won their first-round playoff series before getting knocked out in the second round. One of the more intriguing prospects in the Jets' pipeline might be staying put in Russia. Dmitry Rashevsky, who was selected by Winnipeg in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, was a pending free agent after spending the past five years with Moscow Dynamo of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said last month the team was in talks with his agent about potentially bringing the 24-year-old to North America for the first time. However, news surfaced this past weekend that Rashevsky has now signed a three-year offer sheet with rival Avangard Omsk of the KHL, which would seemingly close that door. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. However, in a plot twist, reports emerged Monday that Dynamo will exercise its option to match — but then plans to turn around and trade Rashevsky to another team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk. If Rashevsky balks at that, could he potentially pull a power play and take his puck skills across the pond after all? Rashevsky had 40 points (19G, 21A) in 65 games this past season and scored 24, 19 and 19 goals in the three seasons prior to that. He would be a nice add to the organization's forward depth. There's often a big risk with drafting Russian skaters, and it's the sole reason Rashevsky slipped as far as he did in his draft year. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike. Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Toronto Sun
30-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Jobs minister meets with Canada Post union reps as overtime ban persists
Published May 30, 2025 • 1 minute read Canada Post trucks. Photo by CHRISTINE MUSCHI / CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu is meeting with postal union officials in Ottawa today amid an overtime ban and declining mail volumes at a beleaguered Canada Post. 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 The Canadian Union of Postal Workers says the afternoon sit-down is going ahead with secretary of state for labour John Zerucelli present as well after on-and-off negotiations resumed Wednesday. Canada Post presented its 'final offers' to the union representing 55,000 workers earlier this week, with concessions including an end to compulsory overtime and a signing bonus of up to $1,000. But it stuck to a proposal for a 14 per cent cumulative wage hike over four years and part-time staff on weekend shifts — a major sticking point in the talks. The Crown corporation said this week it logged nearly $1.3 billion in operating losses last year, raising further questions about its business model as letter volumes plunge and fears of a second strike in six months persist. The union says rallies are planned across the country on Saturday. Read More Crime World Olympics Sunshine Girls Toronto Raptors
Toronto Sun
26-05-2025
- General
- Toronto Sun
AGAR: Once a week is just fine for Canada Post mail delivery
Canada Post trucks. Photo by CHRISTINE MUSCHI / CANADIAN PRESS The post office can no longer afford to deliver mail to your door every day. Get over it. 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 Perhaps the solution is not community mailboxes. I'm from a community on the Prairies that's never had home delivery of the mail. That's why I find it surprising to read of people who think the sky will fall and it will rain frogs if they don't get their mail delivered to their sofa every day. Global News ran a story that begins, 'Judy Frank says no longer getting mail at her door would make life harder. 'The 78-year-old Regina woman is unable to walk more than a few steps and says she would need someone to pick up her mail if Canada Post stops door-to-door service. ''It's very dangerous,' Frank said in a recent interview, pointing to the uneven and cracked sidewalk outside her home.' I don't know how older or housebound people got their mail in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, back in the day. My father ran the post office and I don't remember him taking the mail to anyone's house. Perhaps a friend or relative handled it. 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. Most of the people in my town lived farther from the post office than people live from their community mailbox — and somehow, we all survived. Canada Post estimates it would save about $350 million per year by converting to community boxes and says it can do that while still delivering to those with disabilities. Okay, then Frank has nothing to worry about if her mail is still being delivered to her home. Global also interviewed Melissa Graham, executive director of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities in Winnipeg, who said replacing door-to-door mail with community boxes has created barriers. '(Boxes) used to ice up. They used to be in areas that were difficult to get to, if you had a mobility disability,' Graham said. 'They often didn't have braille, so you could not find your mailbox easily.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. I'm sure some people never leave the house for family visits, groceries, doctor appointments, etc., such that they can't go half a block for the mail a few days a week. Regardless, I still think the post office's solution of community mailboxes is the wrong way to go. You cannot convince me, with so much of what we do online, that we need daily delivery of the mail to residences. Businesses are a different matter. Perhaps you get a flood of mail every day that is of an essential nature, but I go days with no mail. I am good with that. Instead of community mailboxes, how about once-a-week delivery of the mail? That would still get the mail to your door, but it would cut the need for postal employees by a huge amount. The post office is hemorrhaging money and there is nothing to suggest the situation will get better. Postal workers should make a good living. But we don't need as many of them as we have now. A caller to my show said he delivers mail and once a week would result in too high a load of flyers for delivery to doorsteps. If it is that high, why isn't it paying the bills? Once a week, the day before garbage day. Get the connection? Relationships Columnists Football Ontario Celebrity
