A crowd listens to a woman describe her story of beating cancer, the heart of last weekend's 250 k.m. ride.
More than $7 million was raised for the fight against cancer by a group of more than 1,600 cyclists which rode from Surrey to Seattle.
Saturday morning at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, 1,687 cyclists began the two-day, 250km ride in the eighth-annual Ride to Conquer Cancer, presented by Silver Wheaton, in support of breakthrough cancer research and enhancements at the B.C. Cancer Agency.
The largest cycling fundraiser in the province, the ride has raised over $77 million for the B.C Cancer Foundation since 2008 and brings together thousands of volunteers, participants and communities of cancer survivors all with a common goal.
For Brad Peters, who was part of the Riders for Ryder team, the weather for this year’s event was the best he had seen.
And having ridden the course the last two years, the Langley resident was glad to see the warm dry weather.
"First year, it was freezing cold, and it was heavy rain," Peters told Black Press. "And last year was the storm. The course shut down, I think only 20 per cent of the riders finished the day."
Many riders train for months to be able to complete the grueling two-day event, but all recognize the importance of continuing the cause to find a cure for cancer and to help those currently battling the disease.
“I lost my father, a dedicated Ride participant and former captain of Team CRANKEN, at the young age of 59 in 2013 to stage three bladder cancer,” said Kluhane Leoppky.
“I first got involved in the Ride with my father in 2010, the same year he was diagnosed. To this day, I participate on Team CRANKEN with a growing number of people, all of whom were impacted by my father’s life and legacy."
Silver Wheaton became involved as a sponsor of the ride in 2014, but has participated in the ride since 2009 with a team of over 50 riders which has raised nearly $920,000.
“The experts we support at the BC Cancer Agency are recognized internationally for work in advancing research and enhancing care. Together, this passionate group of riders is fueling breakthrough studies that offer new hope to patients,” said Sarah Roth, President and CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation. "The Ride is about bringing people together to make cancer a manageable and eventually curable disease in our lifetime."
Next year's event is set for Aug. 26-27. More information is available by phone at 888-771-BIKE or online at www.conquercancer.ca


Annual 250-k.m. ride raises $7 million for Cancer Research


Modified versions of the 1969 Camaro SS and other popular vehicles will soon be eligible for B.C. collector plates, allowing occasional use for parades and car shows.
The B.C. government is expanding its collector vehicle licence system to include eligible modified cars made between 1958 and 1974, to capture the popular "muscle car" era of the 1960s.
The ICBC collector plate program gives car enthusiasts a lower-cost licence plate that allows occasional use for parades and classic car shows. ICBC plans to take applications starting in 2017 for eligible modified vehicles up to 1974, and replica cars resembling North American production cars from 1942 and earlier.
With strict rules that the cars must be in "collectible condition," changes will take in modified popular cars from the Dodge Duster to the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, as well as replicas of the popular Ford "deuce coupe" from the 1930s.
Premier Christy Clark announced a break for older cars this spring, allowing vehicles from 1940 or earlier and their replicas to run without fenders or mud flaps when the highway is dry and paved.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone said the collector car industry is significant for B.C., with registered collector vehicles having doubled to 26,000 in the past 10 years.
"We want to see this specialty vehicle program remain viable, preserve vehicle history and evolve with the times," Stone said. "That's why we are opening up the opportunity to owners of specialty cars within the 'muscle car' era."
Currently, the standard collector plate is available to cars 25 years or older, as well as discontinued or limited production vehicles 15 years or older. It requires a stock engine with no performance enhancements, no rust, dents or "significant wear and tear" of the interior.
Modified vehicles from 1958 or older are currently eligible for collector plates, if they retain the shell of the original body but have parts replaced or modified in the chassis, engine, suspension, steering or brakes.
Owners have to apply for a collector or modified collector plate, with purchase and parts bills, photos and inspection reports.
Applications for collector and modified collector programs are available on ICBC's website, www.icbc.com, and can be dropped off at Autoplan brokers.

Collector program expanding to 'muscle cars'


Collector plates will be available next year for modified as well as stock cars made between 1958 and 1974


Using a backdrop of new construction in Victoria, Finance Minister Mike de Jong and Premier Christy Clark announce a new property transfer tax on foreign buyers that took effect this week.
The lights came back on in the B.C. legislature last week to reveal the government’s sudden decision to impose a 15 per cent tax on foreign property purchases in Metro Vancouver.
This came after months of government refusal to intervene in a heated urban market in ways that might devalue properties for people whose homes represent a large chunk of their life savings.
It remains to be seen whether this large wrench applied to the problem will cool the market, or trigger declining property values as similar efforts have done in other major cities. The extent of the ripple effect on B.C. communities outside Metro Vancouver is also something that will be closely watched.
Premier Christy Clark and Finance Minister Mike de Jong announced the tax with a week’s notice, leaving realtors and developers scrambling to close deals before thousands more in property transfer tax was imposed on foreign buyers.
This dramatic intervention was based on less than five weeks of information on the nationality of buyers. Early results showed foreign buyers represented five per cent of Metro Vancouver real estate sales. Another two weeks of data showed a spike to nearly 10 per cent, and suddenly the big wrench came out.
Housing Minister Rich Coleman acknowledged that the surprise tax left the real estate industry “taken aback and a bit grumpy.” They worried foreign buyers might back out of deals after sellers have bought another home. They also fear that the tax might pop the real estate bubble, causing a rapid reversal of the long sellers’ market that has taken on a life and a psychology of its own.
One thing is certain. The province’s windfall from the property transfer tax can only grow even further as foreign buyers pay up.
The size of this windfall was shown in the government’s audited public accounts for the 2015-16 fiscal year, which de Jong released just days before announcing the new real estate tax.
The property transfer tax has been a cash cow for the province since Bill Vander Zalm introduced it in the 1980s, and by 2015-16 it had reached about $1.5 billion. For comparison purposes, that’s almost twice as much as total provincial revenue from the forest industry.
The current B.C. budget had forecast that property transfer tax revenues would decline this year and next year. The public accounts showed that for 2015-16, the government took in $468 million more than expected, meaning real estate accounted for most of the provincial surplus.
How much more is raked in by the new transfer tax on foreign buyers remains to be seen, but it will be substantial. And Coleman allows that he has been developing “a really cool plan” to use that money to improve the housing situation for lower-income people.
A couple of weeks ago I described the clamour of urban protesters demanding that governments build thousands of units of social housing. Coleman has long rejected the idea of social housing projects that create clusters of poverty, and he assured me last week that isn’t going to change.
B.C. has 20,000 low-income households getting a rent subsidy today, and Coleman suggested that will be increasing. He’ll be announcing new measures in September to stimulate construction of new rental housing.
It remains to be seen how that will work as well. But it gives the B.C. government lots more money to spend in an election year.
This is the latest of a string of Clark’s election-year fixes. I’ll look at some others in a future column.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc

BC VIEWS: Real estate tax increases windfall


Finance Minister Mike de Jong found an extra half billion from property transfer tax last year, with much more to come


Peter Anderson, director of SFU’s Telematics Research Lab (TRL) in the School of Communication with SFU student Gilbert Chan.
A natural disaster along B.C.’s West Coast could put Simon Fraser University’s Surrey campus into the thick of the region’s emergency communications response.
A high-speed, wireless link that connects the campus to the nearby Surrey-based Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre (PREOC) supports ongoing SFU research at the centre– and would also serve as a vital backup communications lifeline for the region.
“Beyond facilitating our research, this link serves as a critical backup communications link for Emergency BC (EMBC), and all of the supporting emergency agencies and utilities that may be called upon to assist at the PREOC in support of a large scale emergency in Southwestern B.C.,” said Peter Anderson, director of SFU’s Telematics Research Lab (TRL) in the School of Communication.
Anderson and colleague Stephen Braham played a backup role in the recent Cascadia Rising emergency exercise, which simulated the consequences of and responses to a 9.0 magnitude earthquake on the West Coast. In the event of a real emergency the Surrey PREOC would be the region’s hub, coordinating communications and emergency response and recovery operations with communities from Vancouver to Pemberton and Boston Bar.
The SFU Surrey link was originally established by the TRL, in conjunction with SFU Network Services, to support the University’s participation in emergency arrangements for the 2010 Olympics.
Since then Anderson and Braham have continued to refine SFU’s backup capabilities, including systems embedded in the University’s Advanced Mobile Emergency Communications (AMECom) vehicle. The unit was conceived and outfitted by Anderson and Braham at SFU’s Burnaby campus and is now housed permanently at the PREOC.
The vehicle also provides a test-bed to develop new generations of mobile communication support systems, and currently serves as an active emergency response capability for B.C. and local authorities.
Since initially created more than a decade ago, the vehicle has been dispatched to myriad provincial emergencies, including floods and wildfires, and was on standby during the recent Fort McMurray and northern B.C. fires.
A mobile satellite trailer is also stationed at the PREOC.
“There are wide-ranging challenges to emergency communications and disaster planning throughout the province,” says Anderson. “A 900 km flight up B.C.’s coast translates into over 26,000 km of intricately winding coastline. Given its remote channels and physical ruggedness this is one of the toughest places in the world in which to communicate.” Anderson’s ongoing work is also helping to inform plans to refine B.C.’s tsunami warning system.
“Through our work at SFU, the University has become a national leader in emergency communications,” says Anderson. “After years of research and remote testing we can now deploy our systems virtually anywhere.
“Our latest system connects to networks through a variety of different means including satellite systems, as well as existing Internet services,” he says.
“We’ve been testing the technology in Metro Vancouver, the Central Interior and in the Yukon, and have become the national lead for developing a rapid, deployable public safety broadband LTE cellular system.”
Anderson, who continues to fine-tune and test systems, also draws from the experiences responses to international disasters and has visited the sites of many of the world's most devastating events.
Fast Facts:
• Anderson has played key roles in areas of emergency preparedness and disaster mitigation throughout the province and far beyond.
• A pioneer in using the internet for disaster reduction, Anderson developed and supported the first email gateway for distributing the United Nation’s disaster situation reports and appeals for assistance, along with the first websites for provincial, federal and UN disaster programs.
• Anderson was instrumental in assisting with emergency response communication during the 2003 Okanagan/Central Interior forest fires, a role he took on after heading to Kamloops to volunteer his services.
• In 2004, he visited Sri Lanka just days after the tsunami and spent the next three years working with government and community stakeholders to devise a community-based warning system that would aid coastal communities, collaborating further on a new Indian Ocean tsunami-warning system project centered in Thailand. His early-warning systems approaches have since been applied to rural coastal stretches of B.C.
• Anderson began his emergency communication research outreach in war-torn Sudan in the late 1970s, where he worked to develop a communication system with SFU colleagues and researchers at Juba University.
• He has provided expertise to the United Nations, creating high-tech systems for its disaster relief program, and continues a long-standing relationship with Emergency Management B.C., creating and testing new systems for emergency preparedness, as well as local search and rescue.

SFU part of emergency communications backup


Researchers work to refine emergency communications outreach.


Toopy and Binoo.
Sunwing.ca presents Toopy and Binoo: Fun and Games, their wackiest and most interactive adventure yet.
On the heels of two highly successful national tours, BFFs Toopy and Binoo have announced a return to the live stage for an all-new 50-city national tour, including Surrey’s Bell Performing Arts Centre on Sept. 17.
The dynamic duo, energetic boot-stomping Dusteroos and their limbo-loving sheep begin their new quest to find the best game ever.
Toopy and Binoo is based on the best-selling children’s books by Dominique Jolin and debuted on television in 2006, quickly climbing into the hearts of children in hundreds of countries.
The show is broadcast on Treehouse TV (Canada), Tiji (France), Rai Sat (Italy) and Sun TV (India).
On stage, Toopy and Binoo perfectly blend optimism, imagination and spontaneity in their quest to find the best game ever.
“Audiences are wild for this flamboyant production where imaginations remain untamed. Toopy and Binoo are the epitome of uninhibited fun,” said Patti Caplette, an award-winning choreographer, who is also the writer and director of multiple Koba Entertainment productions, including Toopy and Binoo. “The cast and I are getting our funny bones in training for the ingenious silliness of Toopy and Binoo. No wonder audiences love them, its non-stop fun and games.”
“This is an interactive musical extravaganza that will have families across Canada dancing and singing in the aisles,” said Frank Meschkuleit, the voice of Toopy on television and in theatre, and whose long list of credits include Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird.
Koba Entertainment's other productions for kids have included Dora the Explorer, Max & Ruby, and The Backyardigans.
Tickets to Toopy and Binoo are available at http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/1100509AAAD970B0
For more information, visit www.koba-entertainment.com


Animated characters hit Bell Performing Arts Centre stage on Sept. 17.


Two men and a mining company in receivership have been charged with 18 pollution infractions related to their shut-down gold mine on an island near Prince Rupert.
Benjamin Mossman and Dirk Meckert are scheduled to appear in Prince Rupert provincial court Sept. 7. Also charged is Banks Island Gold Ltd., which went into receivership after being shut down last year for provincial permit violations.
The Yellow Giant mine was ordered shut down by the Ministry of Environment in July 2015 after a tailings spill was reported on a tip. There is one charge of failing to report a spill of a polluting substance, and the other 17 charges are for failing to comply with permits.
North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice raised the issue in the legislature this spring, after receiving a letter from the Gitxaala First Nation referring to two separate tailings spills. Rice said the ministry did not inspect the operation for 15 months, until receiving a complaint.
NDP mining critic Norm Macdonald told the legislature a worker at the mine "became fed up, put his job on the line, sent the ministry and me a tip and pictures that documented what was going on there."
Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said the mine was shut down when the situation was brought to its attention. The mine's 90 employees lost their jobs.
The province has a $420,000 security bond from the mining company, to provide ongoing monitoring. In March the mines ministry and Banks Island Gold removed explosives from the mine site and in May ministry technical staff assessed the hazardous materials on site.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service, which recommended the charges, would not comment on the current condition of the Banks Island site, because it is evidence for the prosecution.

Banks Island miners face 18 pollution charges


Gold mine near Prince Rupert shut down last summer for permit violations, owners charged for failing to report spill


VANCOUVER – It took 100-year-old Indian runner Man Kaur almost a minute and a half to complete the 100-metre race, but she never broke her stride.
And when she finally crossed the finish line at the Americas Masters Games in Vancouver, her competitors – many of them two decades younger – were there to cheer her on.
Her son and fellow athletes say Kaur's energy and drive to compete has become an inspiration to participants in the unique international event for athletes over 30.
Kaur began running at age 93 at the suggestion of her son, 78-year-old Gurdev Singh, who also competes in the Masters Games and says he knew she could become a star in her age category.
She has won more than 20 medals, including snatching three golds this week as she is the only competitor in the category for women over 100.
If you're wondering whether she holds the elusive secret to a long life, Kaur says unfortunately it's what you might expect – a good diet and lots of exercise.
The Canadian Press

VIDEO: 100-year-old woman from India runs 100-metre at masters games in Vancouver


Centenarian Mana Kaur, who started running at age 93, crosses 100-metre finish line in Americas Masters Games


KINGSTON, Ont. â€” The Tragically Hip mixed fan favourites, newer songs and some politics on Saturday night during the final show of their "Man Machine Poem" tour.
Lead singer Gord Downie, who started the show wearing a metallic silver suit and hat with a "Jaws" T-shirt underneath, hugged and kissed his bandmates before they stepped on stage at the K-Rock Centre in the group's hometown of Kingston, Ont.
Minutes earlier, as the raucous sold-out crowd waited for the band to emerge, an impromptu rendition of O Canada broke out and a banner reading "Thank You Prime Minister Downie!" was passed around the arena.
The band immediately gave fans what they wanted to hear, starting their set with four straight hits from the classic album "Fully Completely:" opener "50 Mission Cap," followed by "Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)," "Wheat Kings" and "At the Hundredth Meridian."
The Hip then segued into their latest album "Man Machine Poem," with four tracks including the single "In a World Possessed by the Human Mind."
Before "Machine," Downie launched into one of his trademark onstage rants, calling out to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in the crowd for the show. Trudeau's official photographer tweeted a photo of the prime minister and Downie embracing before the concert.
"Well, you know, prime minister Trudeau's got me, his work with First Nations. He's got everybody. He's going to take us where we need to go," Downie said from the stage.
"It's going to take us 100 years to figure out what the hell went on up there," he continued, "but it isn't cool and everybody knows that. It's really, really bad, but we're going to figure it out, you're going to figure it out."
Many anticipate this will be the band's final tour, given the recent news that Downie is battling terminal brain cancer.
Before performing the "Road Apples" song "Fiddler's Green," Downie seemed to reference the outpouring of support from fans in the wake of his diagnosis.
"Thank you, people, for keeping me pushing and keeping me pushing," he said, which prompted a "Gordie!" chant from the audience.
After playing 21 songs, Downie and his fellow bandmates â€” guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois, bassist Gord Sinclair and drummer Johnny Fay â€” embraced and prepared to retire for a pre-encore break. Downie was left alone on stage to take in the roaring ovation.
After returning for a few more songs, Downie again spoke about his fondness for Trudeau.
"Thank you to the prime minister for coming to our show, it really means a lot to all of us," he said.
"We're in good hands, folks, real good hands. He cares about the people way up North, that we were trained our entire lives to ignore, trained our entire lives to hear not a word of what's going on up there. And what's going on up there ain't good. It's maybe worse than it's ever been, so it's not on the improve. (But) we're going to get it fixed and we got the guy to do it, to start, to help.
"Thank you everybody. Thanks for listening to that. Thanks for listening, period. Have a nice life."
David Friend, The Canadian Press

Downie calls out to Trudeau during Tragically Hip's final show of tour


Tragically Hip kick off tour's final show with fan favourites


Rail officials say homeless camps along train lines in Surrey are posing a danger.
Homeless people setting up camp near railway tracks are believed to have been displaced from Newton parks.
Surrey's manager of bylaw enforcement Jas Rehal said summer has brought on significant activity in Newton green spaces, particularly Unwin Park (13313 68 Ave.) and Hyland Park (6542 138 St.).
"What's happened is we've been doing some enforcement over the park lands," Rehal said Wednesday. "I think we've displaced them from the parks, and then they went toward the railway tracks."
About three months ago, Southern Rail of British Columbia (SRBC) noticed homeless camps along it's rail line through Newton, particularly from 64 Avenue and 152 Street to 72 Avenue and King George Boulevard.
A large camp was also found by the South Fraser Perimeter Road.
J. Singh Biln, director of community relations for SRBC said it's of great concern to the railway because people could get hurt.
"It's really just the last three months that it's really, really increased significantly," Biln told The Leader Wednesday."It's so dangerous to be near trains."
He said it's too frequent that it happens where people throughout the world are injured or killed by trains.
Just last fall, near Old Yale and South Fraser Perimeter Road, there was such a tragedy.
"We had some young people who had been partying up by the (Fraser) river, and they went for a joyride on a train," Biln said. "And a young lady – 16 years old – lost her arm above the elbow."
Railway staff are all too aware similar injuries or worse could happen any time.
Biln and Rehal are working together to bring an end to the rail encampments.
Rehal said the challenge is keeping them from going to the train tracks, while not having them in city parks when they are being used by kids.
Rehal said the best of all situations is to find them housing, but he notes some of the people are resistant to offers of permanent shelter.

Rail campers displaced from Surrey parks


Surrey bylaw official says the city has to work a delicate balance in keeping everyone safe


A home that burned to the ground in North Surrey on the weekend was once home to a world renowned magician.
Leon Mandrake (Mandrake the Magician), a famous vaudeville-era entertainer, once lived with his wife and family in a home at Grosvenor Road and Kindersley Drive, a home on the city's heritage inventory that exploded into flames on Sunday morning.
The home was slated for demolition, and several people who were living there were expected to be out in the next few days.
No one was harmed in the fire.
Mandrake's son, Lon, told Black Press Monday it was sad to see the home destroyed.
He said many of the interior finishings in the 1936 home were take from the old Port Mann Inn, which had been demolished around the time an old store was built at the site.
His father's uncle originally built a corner store at the site. Mandrake turned it into home, with a magic room in the back, where he worked on his act, often in front of members of the neighbourhood.
The family moved out of the home after Mandrake died in 1982.
Lon said he still took his mom (Mandrake's wife Velvet), by the home to reminisce about old times.
He especially remembers the Christmases, where the family would entertain and have visiting celebrities who came to B.C.
After his dad died, the home experienced a couple of break-ins, and his mom decided to move to a smaller – and safer – apartment.
The home was on the City of Surrey's heritage inventory, but was not given Heritage Protection. As recently as May, the Heritage Advisory Committee vote to review its status.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.


The home of the famous magician caught fire on Sunday, and was completely destroyed


Wood products exports from Canada to Asia were down 18 per cent in the first six months of 2016, with the biggest decline being softwood lumber from B.C. to China, according to the Seattle-based Wood Resources International.
Lumber sales to China are on pace to drop by 50 per cent this year compared to 2014, as B.C. lumber producers direct their sales to a healthy U.S. lumber market, according to customs data tracked for the Wood Resources Quarterly (www.woodprices.com).
The latest edition notes that by value, 75 per cent of B.C.'s exports to Asia in 2015 and 2016 are in the form of lumber, while 77 per cent of exports from Washington and Oregon are logs.
Asian demand reached a record high in 2013, with China passing Japan as the largest importer of North American wood products in 2011. The B.C. and federal governments promote wood construction in China and Japan, and B.C.'s forest minister is required to conduct an annual trade mission to China, Japan and other Asian countries.
The shift in demand provides extra urgency for talks to renew the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber agreement that expired last year. B.C. sales are booming without the export cap that both Ottawa and Washington have agreed will be required.

Lumber exports shift to U.S. as China sales slump


Asian demand for B.C. wood products peaked in 2013, analyst says China sales on pace for 50 per cent drop


B.C. has 300 seniors' care facilities, and residents and their loved ones are to be surveyed on conditions.
More than 250 volunteers have signed up to compile a survey of seniors in residential care, and B.C.'s Seniors Advocate is looking for more.
The 27,000 seniors living in 300 residential care facilities around the province are being asked about their experience with care home staff, the quality of food, privacy, medications and other conditions.
It's the first comprehensive survey done in B.C., to measure resident satisfaction and provide a "roadmap" for improvements, said Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie.
Interviews will be conducted in person by trained volunteers, and a matching mail-out survey will be sent to each resident's most frequent visitor.
The project is seeking volunteers with a range of professional backgrounds, ages and ethnicities. To apply as a volunteer, visit www.surveybcseniors.org or call the Office of the Seniors Advocate at 1-877-952-3181.


Volunteers to ask seniors about staff, food, privacy, medications and other conditions in residential care


Mounties are looking for whoever threw a gin bottle at a taxi, breaking a window and hitting the cab driver in the head Thursday night in North Vancouver.
Police say the driver was heading east on East 29 Street toward Lynn Valley when the bottle smashed into the cab, cut up the man's face and broke his tooth.
His passenger was also hit by flying glass shards, police say, but she was not hurt.
Officers found a bag of tomatoes near the scene and believe the culprit may have been throwing them before trying the 375ml Bombay Sapphire gin bottle.
Police recovered that, as well as a skateboard.
"Throwing anything at moving traffic, whether it be bottles or tomatoes, is incredibly dangerous," said Sgt. Doug Trousdell. "Fortunately this didn't turn out to be even more serious."
Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP at 604-985-1311 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477, quoting file number 2016-22114.

Taxi driver hurt after gin bottle thrown through cab window in North Van


Police also found bag of tomatoes, skateboard at the scene


OTTAWA -- Former prime minister Stephen Harper will resign today as a member of parliament.
Harper will issue a statement later this morning, 10 months after he lost the federal election and stepped down as Conservative party leader.
But the 57-year-old had chosen to stay on as an MP for his Calgary riding and routinely showed up for votes in the House of Commons over the last few months.
Harper was first elected as a Reform MP in 1993 and would go on to become the first leader of the modern day Conservative Party in 2003.
Since last fall's defeat, he and his wife Laureen have been living in their Calgary home.
Harper will now make a move into consulting on international issues alongside two of his most trusted former advisers.


Former prime minister Stephen Harper
will resign today as a member of
parliament, The Canadian Press has
learned.


Alberta’s energy minister says protests that have shut down pipeline hearings in Montreal are “disrespectful,” but acknowledges Alberta perhaps needs to do a better job of selling its message on pipelines out east.
“Standing up and yelling isn’t constructive in any situation,” Margaret McCuaig-Boyd said Tuesday.
Despite the vocal protests in Montreal, McCuaig-Boyd said she has heard from Quebec companies that the Alberta government’s climate leadership plan is helping the pipeline discussion.
She believes that plan will help develop the social license some argue is needed before a pipeline becomes an acceptable option.
McCuaig-Boyd said an integral part of the National Energy Board hearings is to address legitimate concerns people have about pipelines, and shutting them down is scuttling that discussion.
She said while there will always be groups vocally opposed to pipelines, she thinks there is a huge number of people in the middle who have legitimate questions “and will support pipelines if those questions are answered.”
“We need to get people back and get some good dialogue happening, and answer the questions people have,” she said.
“I encourage the NEB to figure out a way to get those voices that we want to hear heard.”
egraney@postmedia.com
twitter.com/EmmaLGraney

Alberta Energy minister calls pipeline protests 'disrespectful'


Alberta’s energy minister says protests that have shut down pipeline hearings in Montreal are “disrespectful,” but acknowledges Alberta perhaps needs to do a better job of selling its message on pipelines out east.


Blue Jays left fielder Melvin Upton Jr. hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning which Minnesota Twins right fielder Max Kepler miss-played, resulting in a dramatic 8-7 comeback victory for Toronto.
With one out in the eighth and the Jays trailing 7-6, Upton launched a Ryan Pressly offering to right that Kepler failed to field cleanly. Kevin Pillar, who hit a double, scored from second to tie the game and Upton made it all the way home on Kepler’s error to give the Jays the lead and ultimately the win.
Jays’ closer Roberto Osuna came in to pitch a perfect ninth inning to preserve the victory while picking up his 29th save.
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Jays starter Marcus Stroman gave up nine hits through six innings, the majority of them grounders that found holes though the infield. Stroman’s downfall was allowing the lead-off runner to reach base in four of the six innings he pitched. The Twins jumped ahead 5-0 after the top half of the fourth and the Jays chipped away, scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth, two in the sixth, three in the seventh and two in the eighth courtesy of Upton’s heroics.
With Toronto trailing 5-1 in the sixth, first baseman Edwin Encarnacion hammered a 1-1 offering from Minnesota starter Ervin Santana over the wall in left centre to score two runs and bring the Jays to within two, his 36th homer of the season. Josh Donaldson had previously walked.
Stroman was replaced by Bo Schultz to start the seventh and while Schultz managed to get the first two hitters, he walked outfielder Max Kepler and then gave up a home run to third baseman Trevor Plouffe to right field on a 3-2 pitch, a 96-MPH fastball, the Twins taking a 7-3 lead.
Twins second baseman Brian Dozier, batting lead off, went 3-for-5 with two RBI.
The Twins jumped into a 1-0 lead in the first as lead-off hitter Brian Dozier smacked a single to right, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice fly and then with Kepler batting, scored on a wild pitch by Stroman. Stroman dug himself out of a big jam in the third, giving up a lead off single by No.9 hitter Danny Santana followed by a single by Dozier. He then got Joe Mauer to hit into a 1-6-3 double play and enticed Kepler to ground out to first to end the inning with no runs allowed.
Plouffe lead off the fourth for the Twins with a walk and then moved to third on a single by Eddie Rosario and scored on a Miguel Sano single. Rosario then scored on a double to right by Eduardo Escobar, all with none out. After getting the next two batters out, Stroman gave up a double to Dozier down the left field line to score two more, the Twins taking a 5-0 lead.
The Jays finally got to Minnesota starter Ervin Santana in the fourth when Edwin Encarnacion walked with one out and was hit home via a Michael Saunders two-out double to the corner in right field. A fan tried to grab the ball (which would have resulted in a ground rule double) but missed allowing Encarnacion to score.
Down 7-3 in the seventh in the bottom of the seventh, third baseman Donaldson came to the plate with the bases loaded and two out, prompting Twins manager Paul Molitor to pull Santana, who had thrown 111 pitches, for right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly. Donaldson then smacked a single to gap in right centre, scoring Melvin Upton Jr. from third and Devon Travis from second, moving Jose Bautista to third. After fouling off a couple of Pressly offerings on a 3-2 count, Encarnacion hit a single to left to score Bautista, moving Donaldson to third. Troy Tulowitzki lined out to second to end the inning with the score 7-6 Minnesota.

Kepler's failed fielding puts Blue Jays over Twins


Blue Jays left fielder Melvin Upton Jr. hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning which Minnesota Twins right fielder Max Kepler miss-played, resulting in a dramatic 8-7 comeback victory for Toronto.


NEW DELHI — Police in Bangladesh killed three suspected militants Saturday, including a man they identified as a Canadian accused of masterminding a deadly attack on a cafe in Dhaka last month.
Top counterterrorism official Monirul Islam said police raided a two-story house in Narayanganj district near Dhaka and killed the suspects early Saturday.
The dead included Tamim Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi-born Canadian, who police believe was one of two masterminds of the July 1 attack on a popular restaurant in Dhaka that left 20 people dead.
The militants belonged to the banned group Jumatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh, or JMB, Bangladesh’s police chief A.K.M. Shahidul Hoque told reporters.
Chowdhury was the mastermind of the July 1 attack and another attack on an Eid congregation outside Dhaka on July 7 marking the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, he said.
Bangladesh police have been conducting raids across the country to hunt down those behind the attacks.
The police chief said security officials raided the house acting on a tip that Chowdhury, along with other suspects, was hiding in the building. The suspects opened fire at officials who retaliated, he said.
A SWAT team made the final push and fatally shot the suspects after they failed to surrender. Haque said the team asked them to give themselves up but they went on firing.
The Islamic State group had claimed responsibility for the restaurant attack, but authorities have denied that all along, saying it was the act of the JMB and that the ISIL has no presence in the Muslim-majority country.
The attack on the upscale Holey Artisan Bakery killed 20 people, including 17 foreigners. The July 7 attack on the prayer gathering north of Dhaka left four people dead, including two police officers.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Saturday it is aware of news reports that Chowdhury was killed in Bangladesh.
“Canadian officials are in contact with Bangladeshi authorities to gather additional information,” said Global Affairs spokeswoman Diana Khaddaj in an email. “No further details can be provided at this time.”
Also, the family of a Toronto university student who was detained in Bangladesh after surviving the cafe attack said Friday that the young man had been transferred to prison.
Tahmid Hasib Khan’s family has maintained the 22-year-old’s innocence ever since the July 1 attack.
Khan is a permanent resident of Canada and an undergraduate student studying global health at the University of Toronto.
He had arrived in Dhaka on July 1 to celebrate Eid with his family, and planned to travel to Nepal to begin an internship with UNICEF the following week.
He was with friends at the Holey Artisan Bakery when five gunmen attacked. Security forces stormed the restaurant on July 2, killing the gunmen and rescuing the remaining hostages.
Khan was taken into custody for questioning immediately after the attack, and police formally announced his arrest at the beginning of August.
Part of the narrative around Khan’s case are media reports that quote hostages from the restaurant as saying Khan was ordered to hold a gun during the attack, and that he was photographed doing so.
Global Affairs Canada has said Canadian officials are monitoring Khan’s situation.
With files from The Canadian Press

Bangladesh police kill 3, including Canadian suspect in Dhaka attack


Police in Bangladesh killed three suspected
militants Saturday, including a man they
identified as a Canadian accused of
masterminding a deadly attack on a cafe in
Dhaka last month.


I would like to take a moment to join all Canadians in expressing our utmost respect and warm wishes to Prime Minister Stephen Harper as he steps back from his role as the Member of Parliament for Calgary Heritage, and the Canadian political stage.
In 2003, Stephen Harper was at the forefront of the movement to unite conservative Canadians across this country under one banner. It would mark the beginning of more than a decade of his principled leadership.
The record Prime Minister Harper leaves in office is a proud one. Under his leadership, Canada’s foreign policy was clear-eyed and robust, and our nation’s principles were never for sale. He was the first Canadian Prime Minister in history to address the Knesset in Israel — a strong show of support for a democratic nation that remains our best and strongest ally in a turbulent part of the world. It was Prime Minister Harper who stood up to Vladimir Putin and led the charge to have Russia removed from the G8. Under Prime Minister Harper, Canada was an active ally in the global fight against terrorism. And he helped usher in a new era of greater respect for Canada’s men and women in uniform.
Here in Canada, his economic record speaks volumes. During his leadership Canada emerged from the global recession faster and stronger than any country in the G7, which included a net gain of 1.3 million new jobs, a balanced budget, and the wealthiest middle class anywhere on the globe. His time in office saw an ambitious free trade agenda open up markets around the world for Canadian businesses, and free trade deals now signed with over 40 countries.
At the heart of that record was a recognition of the everyday challenges facing hardworking families. We proudly note that it was thanks to his principled guidance that Canadians enjoyed the lowest tax burden in 50 years — including a lower GST, income splitting for couples, and tax free savings accounts.
Finally, Canada under Stephen Harper was committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our society. His leadership saw sweeping changes to strengthen child protection laws and the introduction of the Victims Bill of Rights, which once and for all put the rights of victims ahead of the rights of criminals. The creation of the Universal Child Care Benefit helped lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, and the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health initiative has helped save the lives of millions of mothers and babies around the world.
I spoke with Prime Minister Harper upon news of his departure, and I took the opportunity to personally thank him for everything he has done — for the people of Calgary Heritage and Calgary Southwest before that, for proud conservatives everywhere, and for all Canadians.
I also expressed congratulations for the recent honour bestowed upon him by Ukrainian President Poroshenko. The Order of Liberty, one of Ukraine’s highest honours, recognizes Prime Minister Harper’s contributions to the strengthening of Ukraine’s sovereignty. This is only the latest demonstration of the lasting legacy with which Mr. Harper departs political life.
More than anything, Prime Minister Harper loves his family, and we thank Laureen, Ben and Rachel for sharing him with us for over 20 years. We also thank Laureen Harper for her devotion to so many charitable causes and our country.
Thank you Stephen Harper for your immense contributions to Canada and we wish you well in your future endeavours.
- Ambrose is Leader of the Official Opposition and MP for Sturgeon River–Parkland.


I would like to take a moment to join
all Canadians in expressing our utmost
respect and warm wishes to Prime
Minister Stephen Harper as he steps
back from his role as the Member of
Parliament for Calgary Heritage, and
the Canadian political stage.


What cultural or spiritual notions have led to the current fascination with Artificial Intelligence?
The idea of a man-made being that eventually surpasses its creator was the subject of at least four movies last year — and comes up again in Morgan, a sci-fi thriller opening Friday.
What’s the deal on our fixation with robots?
And why are they so often the bad guys?
Perhaps stories about robots and Artificial Intelligence reflect our own ideas about consciousness or free will.
Or what it means to be human.
Maybe A.I. represents one way to see human-like beings behave in inhuman ways — a sort of 21st century puppet show. Then again, humans might well feel like God when they help create a new life form, especially a robotic life form that can represent a type of immortality.
And the ongoing problem is this: How do you make sure that machines smarter than people don’t figure out ways to seize power away from their creators?
In a 1942 story, Isaac Asimov spelled out the three laws of robotics:
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Interesting — but Science Fiction is full of stories about robotic creations rebelling against those very laws, unwittingly or otherwise. And nobody loves a recalcitrant robot more than Hollywood.
Morgan is the latest example from the robot genre. Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) stars as Morgan, a human-like artificial intelligence; some of the scientists working with Morgan are played by Toby Jones, Michelle Yeoh, Paul Giamatti and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
The humans involved in creating Morgan have great affection for the machine and hope for its progress. They refer to Morgan as ‘she’ and want to continue to observe her development, but something happens to suggest Morgan needs a risk-management assessment. A corporate consultant (Kate Mara) is sent in to decide on Morgan’s future.
It’s not a pretty picture.
To help you brush up on your A.I. movies in advance of Morgan, here are 10 of the best:
ROBOCOP (1987)
An indestructible cyborg (Peter Weller) that’s part machine, part hero cop’s consciousness, appears to be the future of police work. It doesn’t quite work out that way. This action drama/social commentary is directed by Paul Verhoeven.
BLADE RUNNER (1982)
An ex-cop (Harrison Ford) working as a blade runner — an assassin of rogue androids — grapples with his feelings about the human-like replicants. Ridley Scott directs Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah.
youtu.be/_19pRsZRiz4
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)
Evil A.I. Ultron (James Spader) dukes it out with Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow et al in this particular Marvel adventure.
EX MACHINA (2015)
Alicia Vikander is terrific as the A.I. who may or many not have her own ideas about becoming part of the human race. Sci-fi thriller also stars Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac.
THE MATRIX (1999)
Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss star in this futuristic thriller (from the Wachowskis) as rebels who dare go up against the machines that have imprisoned human minds. Can they escape the artificial reality created to lull them into cooperating?
A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001)
A robotic boy (Haley Joel Osment) wants his human mother to love him. Then her human son comes home. Steven Spielberg directs Frances O’Connor, Jude Law, William Hurt.
THE TERMINATOR (1984)
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as a cyborg sent from the future to kill a woman (Linda Hamilton) in the present. The idea is to prevent the birth of the woman’s son — who will grow up to one day lead a rebellion against the machines. James Cameron directs.
MOON (2009)
Astronaut Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) has a solo stint on the moon, where isolation is either causing him to go mad or keeping him from finding out the truth about his origins. Duncan Jones co-wrote and directs.
HER (2013)
Joaquin Phoenix stars as a writer who falls in love with the A.I. operating system that runs his life. Well — the machine does have a fabulous human voice (courtesy Scarlett Johansson). Spike Jonze directs; also with Amy Adams.
ROBOT & FRANK (2012)
Frank, an aging jewel thief (Frank Langella) is given a robot butler by his son (James Marsden) to help around the house. Frank retrains his robot to assist in heists. This is sci-fi for the non-sci-fi-fan; also with Susan Sarandon and Liv Tyler, and that’s Peter Sarsgaard as the voice of the robot.
Twitter: @LizBraunSun
LBraun@postmedia.com

Kate Mara's 'Morgan' and the 10 best movies about Artificial Intelligence


What cultural or spiritual notions have led to the current fascination with Artificial Intelligence?


TORONTO — Josh Donaldson only played the part of a Viking on TV, but he did lay waste to the Minnesota Twins’ pitching staff on Sunday afternoon.
The Toronto slugger, who made a cameo appearance on the History television show Vikings earlier this year, smacked three home runs off three different pitchers in front of 47,444 delighted fans to lead the AL East leading Blue Jays to a 9-6 victory over the Twins.
The Jays, who picked up the series sweep, came back to win for the second time in as many games.
In the third, Donaldson launched a solo home run off Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson to the second deck in left to give the Jays a 2-1 lead and then hammered a two-run homer to centre in the seventh off reliever Pat Light to put Toronto ahead 6-5. Donaldson was up to his old tricks again in the eighth when he crushed a homer to centre, this time off of Alex Wimmers.
It was his first career three-home run game.
The Rogers Centre faithful celebrated the milestone hit with chants of “MVP! MVP!” and by throwing hats on to the field — the baseball version of a hat trick. The 2015 AL MVP jumped out of the dugout and waved in acknowledgment.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki also hit a home run for Toronto, a solo job in the sixth, while Jose Bautista went 3-for-5, including a double.
Donaldson’s hat-trick marked the 21st time in Jays history a player hit three dingers.
It was a roller coaster type day for the third baseman. The Bringer of Rain fouled a Gibson offering pitch hard off his knee early in the game, made a throwing error to second which resulted in the eventual first run by the Twins and in the bottom half of the inning, and then smashed two home runs.
He has now reached base in 23 of his last 24 starts and ranks second in the American League with 85 walks (Mike Trout had 90 prior to Sunday’s games).
Reliever Scott Feldman picked up the win in relief for the Jays.
R.A. Dickey started and went six innings, giving up five runs (three earned). Light earned the loss.
The Jays went all fundamental in taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, when Bautista led off with a double to left-centre, a ball that either Minnesota outfielder Robbie Grossman (left) or Danny Santana (centre) should have caught. Instead, they collided and the ball hit the turf.
Donaldson, who earlier fouled a ball off his right knee in very painful fashion, flew out to centre to move Bautista to third and then Edwin Encarnacion brought Bautista home with a sacrifice to centre.
Twins manager Paul Molitor replaced Santana with Eddie Rosario after the inning as Santana left the game with an AC joint sprain as a result of the collision with Grossman.
Twins right fielder Max Kepler, who made the key diving error that allowed Melvin Upton Jr. to score the winning run on Saturday, hit into a 1-4-6 double play in the third inning to score Eddie Rosario from third, tying the game 1-1.
Donaldson made a throwing error in the top of the third that contributed to the Twins’ first run, but he made up for that with a line drive home run in the bottom half of the inning, smacking a 92 MPH, four-seam fastball by Gibson over the left field fence into the second deck for a 2-1 Toronto lead.
Kepler was the architect of the Twins’ second run when he hit a grounder back Dickey with one out in the fifth that scored Rosario from third, tying the game 2-2. The next batter, third baseman Trevor Plouffe, smacked a single to left to score Brian Dozier. The Twins jumped ahead 5-2 when DH Miguel Sano hit a single to left-centre, scoring Joe Mauer and Plouffe, who had moved to second on a wild pitch.
Leading off the sixth, Tulowitzki sent an 89 MPH two-seam fastball from Gibson just over the wall in deep centre to pull the Jays to within two. The next batter, Kevin Pillar, doubled into the gap between left and centre. The Toronto centre-fielder was moved over to third on a Melvin Upton Jr. grounder to short and then scored when Devon Travis stroked a single over the second baseman in right.
That prompted Molitor to pull Gibson from the game for reliever Pat Light who got Thole to hit into a double play to end the inning.
Bautista picked his third hit of the day, a single, to lead off the seventh and Donaldson followed with his second homerun on a 95 MPH four-seam fastball. With two out and two on in the same inning, Saturday’s hero, Upton Jr. smacked a double from reliever J.T. Chargois to score Tulowitzki and Pillar, making the score 8-5 Jays.
Jays’ closer Roberto Osuna gave up three hits and a run in the ninth.
Jays now head out on a crucial 10-day, nine game road trip starting on Monday with three in Baltimore and three in Tampa Bay and New York, with a day off on Thursday.
SBuffery@postmedia.com

Donaldson homers three times in Jays' triumph over Twin


TORONTO — Josh Donaldson only played the part of a Viking on TV, but he did lay waste to the Minnesota Twins’ pitching staff on Sunday afternoon.


It's summertime and the living is easy, especially for the celebrities who are taking to Instagram to share photos from their beach vacations. Check out where the stars are getting some R&R this summer. (Instagram)
Kim Kardashian flaunts her famous curves while on vacation in Punta Mita, Mexico. (Instagram/Kim Kardashian)
Britney Spears shared this photo of her summer Hawaiian vacation on Instagram with the caption "Still dreaming a mile a minute..." (Britney Spears/Instagram)
Toronto's own Drake relaxes in a beach-side infinity pool. (ChampagnePapi/Instagram)
Kylie Jenner shared this photo of her spending summer days by the beach in Malibu. (KylieJenner/Instagram)
Rihanna cheers on LeBron James in the NBA finals during her summer holiday. (BadGalRiRi/Instagram)
Justin Bieber tries paddleboarding in this photo shared on Instagram. (JustinBieber/Instagram)
Sofia Vergara prefers the pool to the beach. She shared this photo on Instagram with the caption #ilovesummer. (SofiaVergara/Instagram)
Zayn Malik toasts the arrival of summer in this holiday photo shared on Instagram. (Zayn/Instagram)
Jenna Dewan Tatum gets adventurous on her summer holiday. (JennaLDewan/Instagram)
Beyonce, Jay Z and their daughter Blue Ivy enjoy summer on the beach in this photo the singer shared on Instagram. (Beyonce/Instagram)
Shania Twain shared this beach photo on Instagram. "Taking a break from the studio, need to recharge!" she wrote. (ShaniaTwain/Instagram)
Britney Spears shared this sunny beach photo on her Instagram. (BritneySpears/Instagram)
Model Bella Hadid relaxes in a pool by the beach. (BellaHadid/Instagram)

Celebrities share hot summer pics from cool beach trips


It's summertime and the living is easy, especially for the celebrities who are taking to Instagram to share photos from their beach vacations.


It was the hottest summer on record. And yet, the venues with the most reliable air conditioning – movie theatres – went largely unfilled.
How bad was it? You’d think the studios were serving hot soup instead of would-be blockbusters. Analysts are predicting the final box office tally will be at least 20% lower than last year’s summer movie season.
Supposed “sure things” like Ice Age and X-Men, Steven Spielberg and a long, long-awaited sequel to Independence Day were greeted by the movie-going public with a relative yawn.
There was no upside to controversy, as the rebooted, all-female Ghostbusters took what’s expected to be a $70 million loss (and saw its sequel plans put on hold) – possibly the biggest disconnect between pre-release awareness and post-release box office since Snakes on a Plane.
Critical acclaim/disdain seemed to be irrelevant, as recommended movies did well and flopped in equal measure.
So here’s a list of the hits, misses and underperformers. Might as well start with the big list first – bombs away!
BOMBS
- THE BFG: Spielberg is the man who INVENTED the summer blockbuster with Jaws. He returned to ET territory with a Roald Dahl-based family-film about a boy and his giant. Advance word is thumbs-up. The $140 million movie has a meager $20 mil opening.
- BEN HUR: Gosh, it worked with Charlton Heston back in the ‘50s, what could go wrong? How about everything? The sword-and-sandals saga with the fast-and-furious chariot races was in and out of theatres practically unnoticed.
- ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: It took in about a fifth of the original’s box office. Who knows? Maybe the $7 mil divorce Amber Heard got from Johnny Depp IS half of everything he owns at this point.
- ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE: Well, the fifth time’s a… um, what’s the opposite of “charm?” For once critics and audiences agreed. 13% on Rotten Tomatoes, $25 mil opening.
- THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR: A Snow White sequel without Snow White, or more importantly without Kristen Stewart. Apparently, she was the reason everyone went to Twilight movies all along.
- TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS: Cowabungle! Made about half what the previous reboot did.
-WARCRAFT: Everybody’s played the game. But do you know anybody who’s seen the movie? If so, are they Chinese? Because almost two-thirds of the movie’s (believe it or not) break-even $430 mil worldwide box office came from there. The video-game movie curse continues.
- GHOSTBUSTERS: A pretty funny movie with a lot of baggage. Not sure who won the arguments, but it may be that people were just tired of the whole thing by the time it opened.
- NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING: Actually got some good reviews, but turned into another case of a sequel getting only half the audience of its predecessor. Chloe Grace Moretz may not be ready for her close-up, or Seth Rogen is on a down-swing.
- THE NICE GUYS: Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as buddy comedy guys may sound counterintuitive, but 90% on Rotten Tomatoes says the chemistry worked. And then an $11 mil opening says, “Who cares what you guys think?”
- PETE’S DRAGON: Disney promoted the heck out of this boy-and-his-monster tale (inspired, inexplicably, on a not-really-beloved ‘70s Disney flick), starring grown-ups Robert Redford and Bryce Dallas Howard. Took in about the same money as Spielberg’s BFG, though it cost less than half as much. Still a lot of red ink there.
- NINE LIVES: Kevin Spacey’s mind is in the body of a cat. How could that not work? The combination of Spacey, Jennifer Garner and Christopher Walken was good for a $6 mil opening. You could raise more auctioning off dinner with them.
“UNDERPERFORMERS” – In olden days, this would just be a euphemism for “Bomb.” But today, a movie like Independence Day: Resurgence can attract crickets in North America, but make enough money overseas for everybody to get paid.
In the case of the Star Trek and X-Men films, enough came in to justify further sequel plans, even if nobody was popping champagne corks.
-X-MEN APOCALYPSE: Apparently, at the Xavier Academy, attention is paid to what critics say. The previous film, Days of Future Past got great advance reviews and made about a third more in its first 10 days than the badly-reviewed Apocalypse. The feeling there is that the franchise needs a shakeup.
-STAR TREK BEYOND: Well received by Trekkers and critics (a Venn diagram that admittedly overlaps), the first Star Trek reboot not directed by J.J. Abrams had a $60 mil opening weekend, which Forbes pronounced, “just okay.”
-INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE: Proof that there is no movie so bad that it can’t be saved by the apparently less-discriminating overseas market.
HITS
- CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR: It may be impossible to totally fail with a superhero movie these days. But Civil War already had buzz as being nothing less than a new Avengers movie. Awash in iconic heroes and smartly executed, it made more than $1.1 billion worldwide in an as-noted dismal summer.
- SUICIDE SQUAD: The most truly critic-proof film since the last Transformers, the made-in-Toronto anti-hero saga with Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie has taken the slings-and-arrows to the bank. Suicide Squad’s box office is already double its budget and it’s been #1 for three weeks. Like the similarly-reviled-but-profitable Batman v Superman, there’s been a sizable drop-off week-to-week.
- CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE: Not a sequel and not based on anything except the popularity of Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson and Kevin Hart. Result: $200 mil. Whatever buddy-comedy chemistry they’ve got, Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling would like to know what it is.
- THE JUNGLE BOOK: Sure, you expected Captain America: Civil War to gross $1 billion. But a reboot of The Jungle Book using motion capture CGI a la the bear in The Revenant? Grossing just under a bil, Jon Favreau’s labour of love for Disney was THE family movie this summer. Okay, there was another.
- FINDING DORY: Proof that the public’s love for Ellen DeGeneres is bottomless, and that her ditzy, forgetful blue tang fish character is adorable beyond measure (okay, we measure it at about $900 mil).
- BAD MOMS: Forget the Ghostbusters brouhaha. There WAS a hilarious all-female sleeper hit in the theatres this summer, and it starred Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn. That’s $100 mil worth of “underrated” and counting.
- THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE: Not quite as big in China as Warcraft, it did four times the business in North America, lofting it past the marks set by Prince of Egypt and other terrific movies-based-on-video games.
Other “Profitable Performers”: Lights Out, Conjuring 2, Jason Bourne, The Legend Of Tarzan, The Purge 3: Anarchy.
Twitter: @jimslotek
JSlotek@postmedia.com

2016 summer movies: From The Rock to Spielberg, all the winners and losers


It was the hottest summer on record. And yet, the venues with the most reliable air conditioning – movie theatres – went largely unfilled.


OTTAWA — A Coquitlam woman says she has incurred $135,000 in damage to her rental property due to a medical marijuana grow-op licensed by Health Canada without her knowledge or consent.
And she says the federal government’s new regulations leave the door wide open to continued abuses, especially in B.C. where the number of state-sanctioned grow-ops has increased exponentially.
“I don’t want this to happen to other property owners,” said the woman, who shared documentation of her plight but spoke on condition of anonymity.
She said she’s convinced there are many other victims who won’t report the problem due to fear that their home’s property value will plunge.
Urging landlords to amend their rental agreements, she said they should insist on bimonthly inspections and clauses prohibiting the manufacture or storage of drugs, whether legal or illegal.
“The government has taken the position that homeowners do not have the right to prevent their homes from being turned into commercial-scale grow-ops, or even know about it,” she said Tuesday.
“People need to protect themselves.”
A B.C. lawyer who successfully fought the former government’s attempt to crack down on state-sanctioned home grow-ops, meanwhile, said the lack of a requirement for landlord consent is a “defect” in the new regulations.
But Abbotsford lawyer John Conroy, lead counsel in the Allard vs. Canada case that led to the new regulations, amended his comment in a subsequent e-mail exchange, saying a consent requirement could have an “unreasonable” impact on renters.
He said he hopes the Trudeau government, which said the August regulations were an interim step en route to pot legalization, will resolve the dilemma.
“It seems to me there are valid concerns on the part of the owners and tenant-patients in the current market that will hopefully ultimately disappear in a legal market.”
Health Canada’s new regulations, which took effect last week, were in response to the Federal Court of Canada’s Allard decision in February.
The case involved four B.C. residents who challenged the former Conservative government’s 2013 requirement that patients buy pot from government-regulated suppliers rather than grow it.
Justice Michael Phelan concluded the restrictions violated their charter rights, and dismissed the government’s argument that they were justified for health and safety concerns — from fires to violent break-ins to severe mould.
A Health Canada official said Tuesday that the government’s regulations strike “an appropriate balance” between the rights of patients and public safety.
The new rules are nearly identical to those of the 2001 regime, and that’s a problem for the Coquitlam resident.
She complained that the new system doesn’t require the owner’s knowledge or consent when a tenant makes a successful application. (Consent is only required if the licence-holder doesn’t live in the rental property.)
The second is that the regime, relying on the recommendations of the patients’ physicians, allows for quantities vastly higher than what a typical user requires.
In her case, the grow-op she discovered last year in her two-storey rental home — located across the street from an elementary school — contained 400 plants that were being grown for illicit sale, generating $20,000 a month.
It was operating under the authorization of a Health Canada licence obtained not by her tenant, who shared the upper floor with his young son, but by two individuals who were paying him to run the grow-op in his basement.
(Because the applicants didn’t obtain her consent she plans to sue Health Canada for failure to enforce its own rules on disclosure requirements.)
Health Canada statistics produced during the Allard case said the number of production licences in Canada soared from 83 on Dec. 31, 2001, to just under 9,000 in 2011.
The total then more than tripled to a little over 28,000 by the end of 2013.
More than half — 16,010 — involved successful B.C. applicants even though the province has roughly 13 per cent of the Canadian population. The data also showed that on Nov. 13, 2014, the B.C. applicants grew just under 1.7 million indoor plants — a staggering 69 per cent of the national total of a little over 2.4 million plants.
And the average amount Health Canada authorized patients to use was 18.2 grams of dried marijuana, or between 18 and 37 joints, a day.
Justice Phelan, in his February decision, said experts “largely agreed” that the recommended daily amount of medicinal pot ranged up to five grams a day for most patients.
poneil@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/poneilinOttawa

B.C. renters' grow-op leaves woman's home with $135,000 in damages


OTTAWA — A Coquitlam woman says she has incurred $135,000 in damage to her rental property due to a medical marijuana grow-op licensed by Health Canada without her knowledge or consent.


A demonstrator confronts Montreal mayor Denis Coderre as they disrupt the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A demonstrator is arrested after disrupting the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A demonstrator is taken away by police officers after disrupting the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Security guards try to restrain a demonstrator from interrupting the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A demonstrator is taken away by a police officer after disrupting the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Demonstrators disrupt the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A demonstrator is surrounded by police officers after being arrested while disrupting the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A demonstrator is taken away by police officers after disrupting the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A demonstrator holds a child as they disrupt the National Energy Board public hearing into the proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Monday, August 29, 2016 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
MONTREAL -- Protesters chanting anti-pipeline slogans forced the cancellation Monday of the first day of hearings in Montreal into TransCanada's Energy East project.
The head of the hearings for the National Energy Board said the federal regulatory body will try to resume proceedings Tuesday.
"TransCanada will not pass," screamed one protester as police dragged him away from a downtown conference room.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, along with the mayor of Laval and other municipal representatives, walked out of the hearings not long after the demonstrators charged in.
Coderre was the first person scheduled to give testimony Monday but chose instead to leave, calling the protests a "masquerade."
He, along with many provincial politicians and First Nations groups, oppose TransCanada's project to transport crude oil from Alberta to New Brunswick.
"There are too many problems we are witnessing to accept the project," Coderre told reporters after he decided to quit Monday's hearings.
"We're saying the project (TransCanada) presented is wrong, it's bad and we don't have the answers. And frankly one of the main issues is contingency plans, everything regarding safety."
Last week Coderre asked for the hearings to be suspended after media reports revealed that two of the three NEB commissioners overseeing the review process met former Quebec premier Jean Charest, who was at the time a lobbyist for TransCanada (TSX:TRP).
Coderre said he wasn't calling for the commissioners to resign, but that there was a perception of bias.
Nonetheless, Coderre said it was important for him to give testimony in order for the NEB and the rest of the country to appreciate the concerns of local citizens.
One of the anti-pipeline protesters, Kristian Gareau, entered the room and started chanting and clapping with the other protesters.
He said the entire NEB process is illegitimate because two of the commissioners had met with Charest.
"There is a perception of bias," said Gareau, 36. "These two commissioners are part of this democratic institution, which has the sweeping power of a federal court.
"So a judge cannot go and meet with people in a back room. It just shows this smug elite privilege which is completely unacceptable."
The hearings are set for this week in Montreal before moving to Quebec City the week of Oct. 3.

National Energy Board cancels first day of Energy East hearings after protests


MONTREAL -- The National Energy Board has cancelled the first day of Energy East hearings in Montreal after protesters broke into the downtown venue and started screaming and chanting.


Travelling to India? Leave your skirt at home, says Mahesh Sharma, the country's minister of culture and tourism.
While promoting a new guide on the weekend that will be given to tourists after arriving in the country, Sharma said travellers are "given dos and don’ts... very small things like, they should not venture out alone at night in small places, or wear skirts."
According to the Guardian, he added “For their own safety, women foreign tourists should not wear short dresses and skirts... Indian culture is different from the western.”
Sharma has since apologized for his remarks, telling reporters on Monday "I am a father of two daughters... I would never tell women what they should wear or not."
The new guide is geared toward female travellers who may be uneasy visiting the country after a number of high-profile attacks on women, including the rape and murder of a Delhi student earlier this year.

Travelling to India? Female tourists should not wear skirts, says tourism minist


Travelling to India? Leave your skirt at home, says Mahesh Sharma, the country's minister of culture and tourism.


Dear Amy: I am writing to you regarding people sharing pictures of children in the buff on Facebook, Instagram or other social media.
I have a girlfriend who constantly posts naked pictures of her 3-year-old son.
Even worse, some of these photos were taken on a public beach. Imagine the looks from others as they stroll by!
To me, this is not only distasteful, but also dangerous.
I am afraid that some of the "friends" from Facebook or Instagram could be pedophiles who might take advantage of this innocent boy!
I discussed this with my mother and her mother, and both women are concerned.
When we suggested to the friend's mother that she should discuss this with her daughter, she said she would get defensive and maybe stop talking to her.
I want to confront her about this through a private message. How can I approach this? -- Fully Clothed
Dear Clothed: I think this practice is risky (and disrespectful to the child, who cannot consent).
Those photos can wind up anywhere (well beyond her own Facebook circle), and the photos of these innocent children can be grabbed and shared by pedophiles, who will hoard and trade them. The pictures will also surface off and on for the rest of the child's life.
I am not offended by the sight of a nude young child at the beach, but in this day of secret photographing and photo-sharing, I agree that this, too, carries risks.
Reacting to posts and photos is expected on social media sites.
Rather than privately soliciting opinions about this and gossiping about it, you should feel free to share your point of view with the mother posting these photos.
I suggest sending her a private message and saying, "I really enjoy seeing pictures of your adorable son on Facebook and Instagram, but I worry that any nude pictures can fall into the wrong hands and be shared well beyond your own circle of trusted friends. I hope you'll think about possible unintended consequences when you post photos."
Every young child deserves to have adults in their life who respect and guard their privacy. Children are completely defenseless when it comes to the questionable judgment of their parents.
Dear Amy: My grandmother is 78 and lost her husband about 10 years ago.
I've noticed over the last five years that she has become very lonely and likes to do ALL the talking. Due to the distance between us, I am only able to see her one or two times a year and for only one or two days per visit. Spending time with her is not fun anymore. She never asks about me, my future husband, my upcoming wedding, etc.
She doesn't even ask me, "How are you doing?"
Our entire visit consists of her reminiscing about her past, and she will even cry over certain events, which results in me consoling her.
When it is time for me to leave after staying for a couple days, I feel as if I didn't get to actually talk to her. I feel like we are missing out on these years we have together.
I hope this doesn't make me seem selfish. I love my grandmother dearly; we used to talk till the cows came home, and it's not the same anymore.
I want to talk to her about it, but I am afraid I will hurt her feelings. What should I do? -- Worried
Dear Worried: You should be honest with your grandmother about your concerns: "Grammy, I'm worried about you. You seem so sad..."
It sounds as if she might be depressed. Older people are just as likely as anyone else to become depressed, but they aren't routinely screened for depression. Diagnosis and treatment could be a game changer for her. Speak to your parents (and/or her) about this.
Also, if you correspond with her by email or snail mail in between your visits, you will basically have the opportunity to tell her whatever news you have regarding your own life. Then when you are with her, you can say, "Remember how I wrote to you that I'm engaged? I have some pictures of my fiance -- do you want to see them?"
Dear Amy: The question from "Sad" broke my heart. Sad's younger sister was abusing the party drug Molly, and Sad was upset because her sister was mad at her when she intervened.
I wish more people cared enough to intervene and let a family member be mad at them. Anger fades. -- Also Sad
Dear Sad: Exactly.

Children in the buff shouldn't be on Facebook


Dear Amy: I am writing to you regarding people sharing pictures of children in the buff on Facebook, Instagram or other social media.


All David Bolland did in Chicago was his job.
Ask him to check, he checked. Ask him to scrap, he scrapped. Ask him to occasionally score, he would occasionally score.
That included a bang-bang, last-minute, Stanley Cup-winning goal with Chicago, his last game with the Blackhawks.
That was three years ago. Now Bolland, at age 30, has become something of a punchline, not a person or a player of any consequence in hockey, just salary cap space. That’s how he’s looked at by too many in the hockey world. His rather large contract was dealt from Florida to Arizona, not because anybody wanted him, but because the Coyotes would take prospect Lawson Crouse and the price of doing so was to accept Bolland’s contract. The value of salary cap space in today’s NHL.
Knowing Bolland, I imagine there is nothing he would like better than to be playing healthy and proving his worth to whomever was paying his way. That’s unlikely to happen anymore.
What he shouldn’t be in this case is anyone’s punchline. He’s put in his time. He deserves better than that.
THIS AND THAT
Sometimes, Hockey Canada does the right thing, like adding leading playoff scorer, Logan Couture, to Team Canada’s roster to replace Jamie Benn for the World Cup of Hockey. And then it follows that by doing the wrong thing, adding Jay Bouwmeester to replace the injured Duncan Keith on defence. The choice here was left-shooting defenceman Mark Giordano, but coach Mike Babcock, in particular is a comfort zone coach and Bouwmeester played a solid role for Babcock in Sochi. That kind of looking-back logic has hurt Team Canada in the past ... Wasn’t sure why Team Sweden left Dallas defenceman John Klingberg off their initial World Cup roster. Now not sure why they haven’t added him as an injury replacement to their very strong defence. Sweden ended up inserting Anaheim’s Hampus Lundholm to take Niklas Kronwall’s spot. On a scale, this is equivalent to Canada leaving P.K. Subban off its roster ... Brandon Prust and Matt Martin are both considered left wingers. One can play for the Leafs. Two not likely ... Darryl Sittler is only the eighth NHL player to be called for Canada’s Walk of Fame. The list is rather impressive. The other seven: Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Jean Beliveau, Rocket Richard, Johnny Bower. To separate them, that’s six all-time greats, and maybe the six greatest ever, and two Hall of Fame Leafs greats ... What I’d love to have seen: Sittler going in with Lanny McDonald at his side, the way Don Cherry went in alongside Ron MacLean.
HEAR AND THERE
Should the Blue Jays make the playoffs, this will be Russell Martin’s sixth straight season in the post-season. And if the same happens, it will be Josh Donaldson’s fifth straight post-season. Or every one of his big league years ... Strange Blue Jays season. They are in first place. And I don’t sense they’ve played really complete baseball with an uncertain lineup and so many injuries to date ... Michael Saunders before the all-star game: .298, 16 HR 42 RBI, an OPS of .923. Saunders since his surprising election to the game: .174, 5 HR, 8 RBI, an OPS of .647 ... Marco Estrada pre-all-star break, 2.93 earned run average. Post all-star break: 5.18. Pre: Batters were hitting .173 against him; Post: .279 ... If the Blue Jays don’t pick up a left-handed reliever between now and Wednesday, that role will likely go to Francisco Liriano for the post-season, who may or may not be able to throw strikes ... Justin Smoak is having a rather dreadful season. He’s hitting .227 with 14 home runs. This is Jose Bautista’s free-agent season. He’s hitting .226 with 15 home runs ... Can’t speak for anyone else, but I like the idea of Dioner Navarro in the Blue Jays clubhouse ... What an odd CFL season: The home teams in the East have a 4-13-1 record. The road teams are 11-5 ... The Dallas Cowboys are 24-24 over the past three NFL seasons. They’re 23-11 when Tony Romo starts at quarterback 1-13 when he does not ... I see Danny Valencia is as charming as ever with the Oakland A’s ... If I was young and ambitious, I would quit my job, move to Brazil, go into the concessions business and become filthy rich. But instead, you get the Sunday notes ... Congrats for former Argo Noel Prefontaine and NBA star Kawhi Leonard, both elected to the San Diego State University sports Hall of Fame.
SCENE AND HEARD
Twenty-two medals in Rio was terrific for Canada. Twenty-two medals at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta was even better. Why? There were 306 medal events in Rio, just 271 in Atlanta. Same number of medals. More than 12% more events and no more medals ... Impressive in Rio: Canadian women, who out-medalled Canadian men 16-6 ... What stings: Canadian men not named Andre De Grasse (or part of his relay team) won three Olympic medals. That’s all ... You know Paul Beeston is no longer running the Blue Jays — and Americans are — when neither De Grasse nor Penny Oleksiak has thrown out the first pitch at a Blue Jays game yet ... Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan may never win a championship with the Raptors, but boy they were little-kid excited about their gold medals in Rio. Most excited I’ve ever seen either of them ... When the Florida Panthers inexplicably fired Scott Luce, I wrote he wouldn’t be out of work for long. He wasn’t. Luce, whose father Don was close friends with Tim Horton, is the new scouting director of the Las Vegas NHL franchise ... The worst thing that could happen to Las Vegas hockey: The Raiders and NFL moving to Las Vegas ... I’m looking forward to Ryan Lochte, the mini-series. Or at least the next several episodes of Saturday Night Live.
AND ANOTHER THING
Is there anything more Yankees than this? Kid slugger Gary Sanchez has 32 hits in his first 23 games in Pinstripes and 11 home runs in 80 at bats. Before this, the young Dominican never had more than 18 homers in a minor-league season ... If the Kansas City Royals make the playoffs, look out. Their bullpen hasn’t given up a run in 39.2 innings, a luxury John Gibbons wouldn’t know about ... Can the B.C. Lions please settle on one uniform and one logo so we know who is playing when we see them and don’t have to guess? ... Is it too much to ask to get a decent instant replay, in reasonable time, on a pseudo inside-the-park home run by Melvin Upton Jr.? ... If you missed this Olympic story, you missed something special. American water polo coach Adam Krikorian left Brazil when his brother passed away just days before the Olympics. He then quickly returned to Rio after the funeral to coach the team, which went on to win gold. Coaches do not get rewarded with gold medals. But the women’s team lined up in front of the coach after the medal ceremony and one by one, each player placed their gold medal around the neck of the coach. It was the Rudy moment of the Olympics, but in this case, it was all tears and truth ... Kudos to colleague Gare Joyce, whose part-hockey, part-detective novels were turned into the television series, Private Eyes with Jason Priestley, which has been now renewed for a second season ... Happy birthday to Bismack Biyombo (24), Lou Piniella (73), Robert (Sgt. Slaughter) Remus (68), Shania Twain (51), Ron Guidry (66), Pierre Turgeon (47) and Don Denkinger (80) ... And hey, whatever became of Dave Steen?
BROOKE NEEDS BETTER ADVICE
It seems odd to say this because she’s 18 years old, but Brooke Henderson needs to grow up.
Or failing that, she needs to get better advice than she happens to be receiving these days.
At the Olympics, Henderson didn’t impress a whole lot of people with the way she bypassed her press responsibilities and pouted after a poor third round in the women’s golf event. There is a certain protocol that goes along with being an Olympic athlete and a professional golfer, for that matter. At the Olympics, all competitors must go through a mixed zone area which includes journalists at the conclusion of their round.
Henderson chose not to. She did partake in her media responsibilities after finishing up well on her final round, just missing the podium.
Then in Calgary at the Canadian Open, Henderson, the No. 1 golf attraction in Canada, was working on the practice green when a car pulled up, she slid under the ropes and left the course without a word. Wayne Gretzky, at 18, never missed a day of his media obligations.
It isn’t about talking to me or my colleagues, it’s about talking to you and your television sets and your radios. Part of the responsibility of being a high-paid athlete in an individual sport is making yourself available. Being available only after good rounds is not an image or a reputation young Henderson should want.
AA HAPPY IN L.A.
The job looks perfect from the outside: Alex Anthopoulos, general manager, Minnesota Twins. How would the Twins find anyone better than the man who traded for Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki and Marco Estrada, drafted Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman, and signed Russell Martin as a free agent.
Except for one thing: Anthopoulos is in the process of moving his family from Toronto to Los Angeles. And he’s perfectly happy, he says, in his role as vice-president of baseball operations with the Dodgers. He loves the team, the people he works with, the way in which the front office operates for the first place Dodgers.
The assumption was when Anthopoulos left the Blue Jays that he would be the leading candidate for whatever GM job would come up in baseball, but he seems to like the idea of living in Los Angeles and doesn’t relish the thought of picking up and moving his family again.
If the move out of Toronto proved anything, it showed Anthopoulos doesn’t always do the obvious. He could have stayed with the Jays for long-term and great money and chose to leave for personal reasons. He could now seek out GM work elsewhere, but won’t do that either. Being in baseball matters to Anthopoulos, so long as he’s working with people he believes in. Being in charge doesn’t matter as much and you might have thought.
WHO IS SAFE WITH THE JAYS?
The Blue Jays fired Sal Fasano.
Why anyone in baseball would find a reason to fire Fasano is a head-scratching matter. Spend five minutes with Fasano and you’ll understand why. He looks like baseball. He sounds like baseball. If you want to talk about pitching, about catching, about the intricacies of the game, or just listen to some good old stories, he’s your guy.
And with the firing of Fasano as minor league pitching coordinator comes another question: Who is safe in the Blue Jays front office that preceded the hirings of president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins?
And another question: How much uncertainty is there right now for those whose seasons are about to end, coaches and minor league managers, coaches at the major league level, anyone in scouting and player development?
As the Blue Jays approach the playoffs, those who played a part in player development at various levels are either being let go or must be concerned about their security.
The thinking around baseball: If a baseball lifer like Fasano can get fired, after the firings of scouting director Brian Parker, cross checker Blake Davis, field coordinator Doug Davis, pretty much anyone can and will be let go.

Bolland has earned the right to be more than a punchline


All David Bolland did in Chicago was his job.


Don Cherry has decided to wade into the fallout over San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision to sit down during the U.S. anthem in his team's first three NFL preseason games.
Kaepernick explained on Sunday that he was taking a stand on race relations in America and challenging authority following the deaths of black people at the hands of police.
“The fact that it has blown up like this, I think it’s a good thing. It brings awareness,” Kaepernick said Sunday. “Now, I think people are really talking about it. Having conversations about how to make change. What’s really going on in this country. And we can move forward. ...There is police brutality. People of colour have been targeted by police.”
But Cherry, the longtime Hockey Night in Canada commentator, didn't see it that way, posting a response Tuesday afternoon on Twitter.
My thoughts on the Colin Kaepernick controversy... https://t.co/7EXEI9ogv3 — Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerCBC) August 30, 2016
"It's funny how athletes when they know they are finished they all of a sudden take a stand. For instance, the 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He knows he’s not going to beat out the 49ers quarterback (Blaine) Gabbert. So all of a sudden he takes a stand on the Star Spangled Banner and not stand up to honour the flag.
"And believe it or not some people compare him to Muhammed Ali. So very wrong. If you remember, Ali took a stand in the prime of his career and lost 3 good years.
"If Colin Kaepernick really wanted to make a statement he should have done it during the Super Bowl. And make no mistake he has made things tougher for the organization that has made him millions.
"Besides, if he feels so strongly about these issues why does he not take the money he’s going to, I was going to say earn, but I will say get, and give it to his causes."
Cherry is one of many to give their two cents on the controversy.
Jim Harbaugh, Kaepernick's former head coach who now leads Michigan football, disagreed with his tactics while supporting his right to sit.
I apologize for misspeaking my true sentiments. To clarify, I support Colin's motivation. It's his method of action that I take exception to — Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) August 29, 2016
Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who played 16 seasons with the 49ers, was also critical of Kaepernick.
All lives matter. So much going on in this world today.Can we all just get along! Colin,I respect your stance but don't disrespect the Flag. — Jerry Rice (@JerryRice) August 30, 2016
"All lives matter," Rice wrote on Twitter. "So much going on in this world today. Can we all just get along! Colin, I respect your stance but don't disrespect the Flag."
Seattle Seahawks star cornerback Richard Sherman understood where Kaepernick was coming from.
"I thought that was interesting," said Sherman. "Obviously, what he meant was in a good place. He wanted to make a stand. Obviously, anytime you don’t stand during the national anthem, people are going to criticize it. And that’s the unfortunate part of it. You can’t ever stand against the flag. A lot of people have sacrificed for it.
"But there is also a deeper meaning to what he did. He’s talking about the oppression of African Americans in this country. And that has been going on for a long time. I think a lot of the focus has shifted away from his message and shifted to some people, rightfully so, to him taking a stand against the nation ..."
- with files from Associated Press

Don Cherry questions Colin Kaepernick's motives for sitting during U.S. anthem


Don Cherry has decided to wade into the fallout over San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision to sit down during the U.S. anthem in his team's first three NFL preseason games.


In this March 16, 2005 file photo, actor Gene Wilder speaks about his life and career at Boston University in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
In this April 9, 2008 file photo, actor Gene Wilder listens as he is introduced to receive the Governor's Awards for Excellence in Culture and Tourism at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
Actor and author Gene Wilder autographs copies of his new book 'The Woman Who Wouldn't' at Barnes & Noble Bookstore at The Grove on March 17, 2008 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images)
Gene Wilder and his wife Karen Boyer watch as Shahar Peer of Israel takes on Anna Chakvetadze of Russia during day ten of the 2007 U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2007 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Actor Gene Wilder poses as he signs copies of his autobiography "Kiss Me Like A Stranger", at Waterstone's, Oxford Street on June 7, 2005 in London, England. (Photo by MJ Kim/Getty Images)
This file photo taken on September 7, 1984 shows US actor and director Gene Wilder of the movie "The Woman in Red" during the 10th American Film Festival of Deauville. / AFP PHOTO / Mychele DANIAUMYCHELE DANIAU/AFP/Getty Images
LOS ANGELES -- Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in "The Producers" and the deranged animator of "Young Frankenstein," has died. He was 83.
Wilder's nephew said Monday that the actor and writer died late Sunday at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, from complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Jordan Walker-Pearlman said in a statement that Wilder was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, but kept the condition private so as not to disappoint fans.
"He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world," Walker-Pearlman said.
Wilder started his acting career on the stage, but millions knew him from his work in the movies, especially his collaborations with Mel Brooks on "The Producers," "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein." The last film -- with Wilder playing a California-born descendant of the mad scientist, insisting that his name is pronounced "Frahn-ken-SHTEEN" -- was co-written by Brooks and Wilder.
"One of the truly great talents of our time," Mel Brooks tweeted. "He blessed every film we did with his magic & he blessed me with his friendship."
Gene Wilder-One of the truly great talents of our time. He blessed every film we did with his magic & he blessed me with his friendship. — Mel Brooks (@MelBrooks) August 29, 2016
With his unkempt hair and big, buggy eyes, Wilder was a master at playing panicked characters caught up in schemes that only a madman such as Brooks could devise, whether reviving a monster in "Young Frankenstein" or bilking Broadway in "The Producers." Brooks would call him "God's perfect prey, the victim in all of us."
But he also knew how to keep it cool as the boozy gunslinger in "Blazing Saddles" or the charming candy man in the children's favourite "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." His craziest role: the therapist having an affair with a sheep in Woody Allen's "Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex."
He was close friends with Richard Pryor and their contrasting personas -- Wilder uptight, Pryor loose -- were ideal for comedy. They co-starred in four films: "Silver Streak," "Stir Crazy," "See No Evil, Hear No Evil" and "Another You." And they created several memorable scenes, particularly when Pryor provided Wilder with directions on how to "act black" as they tried to avoid police in "Silver Streak."
In 1968, Wilder received an Oscar nomination for his work in Brooks' "The Producers." He played the introverted Leo Bloom, an accountant who discovers the liberating joys of greed and corruption as he and Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) conceive a Broadway flop titled "Springtime For Hitler" and plan to flee with the money raised for the show's production.
Matthew Broderick played Wilder's role in the 2001 Broadway stage revival of the show.
Though they collaborated on film, Wilder and Brooks met through the theatre. Wilder was in a play with Brooks' then-future wife, Anne Bancroft, who introduced the pair backstage in 1963.
Wilder, a Milwaukee native, was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1935. His father was a Russian emigre, his mother was of Polish descent. When he was 6, Wilder's mother suffered a heart attack that left her a semi-invalid. He soon began improvising comedy skits to entertain her, the first indication of his future career.
He started taking acting classes at age 12 and continued performing and taking lesson through college. In 1961, Wilder became a member of Lee Strasberg's prestigious Actor's Studio in Manhattan.
That same year, he made both his off-Broadway and Broadway debuts. He won the Clarence Derwent Award, given to promising newcomers, for the Broadway work in Graham Greene's comedy "The Complaisant Lover."
He used his new name, Gene Wilder, for the off-Broadway and Broadway roles. He lifted the first name from the character Eugene Gant in Thomas Wolfe's "Look Back, Homeward Angel," while the last name was clipped from playwright Thornton Wilder. A key break came when he co-starred with Bancroft in Bertolt Brecht's "Mother Courage," and met Brooks, her future husband.
"I was having trouble with one little section of the play, and he gave me tips on how to act. He said, 'That's a song and dance. He's proselytizing about communism. Just skip over it, sing and dance over it, and get on to the good stuff.' And he was right," Wilder later explained.
Before starring in "The Producers," he had a small role as the hostage of gangsters in the 1967 classic "Bonnie and Clyde." He peaked in the mid-1970s with the twin Brooks hits "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein."
He went on to write several screenplays and direct several films. In 1982, while making the generally forgettable "Hanky-Panky," he fell in love with co-star Gilda Radner. They were married in 1984, and co-starred in two Wilder-penned films: "The Lady in Red" and "Haunted Honeymoon."
After Radner died of ovarian cancer in 1989, Wilder spent much of his time after promoting cancer research. He opened a support facility for cancer patients called "Gilda's Place." In 1991, he testified before Congress about the need for increased testing for cancer.
Wilder guest-starred on two episodes of NBC's "Will & Grace" in 2002 and 2003, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding guest actor on a comedy series for his role as Mr. Stein, the boss of Will Truman, played by Canadian Eric McCormack.
Wilder is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he married in 1991.
RIP Gene Wilder pic.twitter.com/TuMQheQCa4 — Gilbert Gottfried (@RealGilbert) August 29, 2016
"Good Day Sir!"
RIP Gene Wilder — Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) August 29, 2016
Rest in Peace, Gene Wilder... 💔 — Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) August 29, 2016
Gene Wilder as one of my earliest heroes. Blazing Saddles, Willy Wonka, are CLINICS on comic acting. Sad to hear of his passing. — Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) August 29, 2016
so sad to learn of the passing of my good friend, gene wilder... such an incredible man... i'll miss you ❤ — Harry Connick Jr (@HarryConnickJR) August 29, 2016

Gene Wilder, star of Mel Brooks movies, dies at 83