Extreme heat leaves eastern Canada groaning, WestJet strike off the table – Brandon Sun

Here’s a roundup of stories from the Canadian Press to bring you up to speed…

Heatwave still grips Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes

A heat wave that swept across Eastern Canada will continue for some time.

In southern Ontario, southern Quebec and much of the Maritimes, temperatures ranged from 30 to 35 degrees Celsius.

With the Humidex it sometimes feels like it’s 40 degrees.

Environment Canada predicts that temperatures in the high 30s are expected in Toronto and Ottawa on Thursday and Friday.

Quebec’s Ministry of Health recommends spending at least two hours a day in an air-conditioned room.

A heat warning is also in effect for most of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, as well as central and eastern Newfoundland.

Heatwave makes learning in heated classrooms difficult

When temperatures soar — like this week, when much of Ontario experienced a heat wave — classes become stuffy, students sweat, and learning can be difficult.

“It’s so hot,” says twelve-year-old Beatrice. “There’s hardly a breath of air coming through the windows. That’s not enough.”

Beatrice is a student at Humbercrest Public School, one of hundreds of schools in the Toronto District School Board without air-conditioned classrooms.

As climate change exacerbates extreme weather conditions, the lack of air conditioning in many classrooms has become a heated issue among concerned students, parents and teachers who believe school boards and governments must address the problem.

WestJet mechanics union takes strike off the table

The strike threat by unionized mechanics at WestJet was dropped after both sides agreed to return to the negotiating table.

In a statement issued overnight, the airline said it had appeared before the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to discuss mediation options with its aircraft maintenance technicians and technical operations staff.

CIRB officials say more information is needed from both sides before deciding whether arbitration is the best way to reach a collective agreement for the first time.

In the meantime, both parties have agreed to return to the negotiating table and continue working towards a solution.

Protesters defend University of Tennessee camp in court

Lawyers for a pro-Palestinian protest camp at the University of Toronto will present their case in an Ontario court today as the university seeks an injunction to clear the demonstration that has been going on for several weeks.

The hearing began on Wednesday, with lawyers for the university arguing that protesters had taken control of private property and were blocking the public’s access to the area known as King’s College Circle.

They said the protests left many in the community feeling unsafe or unwelcome on campus and that the encampment had caused irreparable damage.

In documents filed earlier this week, lawyers for the protesters say the school’s claims of irreparable harm are based on a false portrayal of the camp as violent and anti-Semitic.

Notley leaves behind an NDP that is ready to compete

Cheryl Oates learned that she needed to lace up a good pair of running shoes to keep up with Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley.

“When I think about the fact that she turned me into a runner when I didn’t want to be a runner, it’s an interesting parallel to her politics,” says Oates, who was communications director when Notley was prime minister.

“Given the chance, she will either wear you down or win you over.”

On Saturday afternoon, the group will no longer consist of Notley’s troupe. A new leader is to be announced.

Oates, once a journalist who was naturally nonpartisan and apolitical, says she changed when she started working for Notley. And others did, too.

“Rachel taught me: What are we fighting for and why are we fighting for it?”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2024.