Saskatchewan News

BEL13VE! The promotional playoff phrase for a generation of Rider Nation was no more prominent than the final minutes of an emotional and heart-stopping finish to the West Final. “I’m sure there’s people at home going ‘what are you doing?’,” pondered Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris on the reaction to head coach Corey Mace kicking a field goal with under three minutes to go when the team had the ball on the five yard line in need of seven points to tie the game. Read more:

• Jamie Nye: Riders played to win, no matter who played quarterback in Winnipeg
• Jamie Nye: Trevor Harris deserves another year with the Riders, if he wants it
• Jamie Nye: Upon review, the CFL’s replay centre should be overturned

Most everyone at home, in the press box, and probably a few more on the Roughriders sideline, were thinking the right call would have been to go for it and try to score the tying point right then and there. Instead, to the surprise of many Mace decided to kick, despite going for it on third and goal from the two earlier in the game. I even uttered to my Game Day co-host Darrell Davis, ‘What?!’ I also might have added a few expletives along with it. But Mace believed, like he has all season. He trusted his defence would get the ball back and instead of a touchdown to tie, he trusted that the offence would get the ball back and score a game winning touchdown. The defence did get the ball back but the offence failed to move the ball. Mace had another decision many questioned. To go for it from third and 10 on your own side of half with 1:48 left in the fourth quarter. Mace didn’t waver in his belief that his defence could get the ball back again. And they did. A.J. Allen, the unheralded linebacker, who started the season as a backup, came up in another big moment for the Roughriders with a sack on second and three to bring down Nathan Rourke, his former teammate from his youth in Burlington, Ontario. The ball was kicked back to Trevor Harris and the Roughriders to begin what is one of the most impressive drives in Harris’ illustrious career as he threw the game winning touchdown pass to Tommy Nield with 11 seconds left to put the Riders up for good in a 24-21 thriller! But did Harris doubt the call two minutes earlier by his head coach? Absolutely not. “I trust Corey Mace. He knows what he’s doing,” uttered a matter-of-fact Harris as his teammates celebrated in the locker room down the hall. Belief and trust are the hallmarks of what has made the 2025 Roughriders the best team in the CFL and the favourite going into Grey Cup Sunday against the Montreal Alouettes. The Roughriders trusted the 39-year old pivot had at least one more good year and he payed them back with a most outstanding player calibre season. The Roughriders trusted receiver after receiver to step up with a rash of injuries and Joe Robustelli and Nield became household names in Saskatchewan. The Roughriders trusted a rookie in Ali Saad to become an every down defensive tackle so they could field an offensive line of four Americans, and Saad performed at a level to match that of veterans Mike Rose and Micah Johnson. The Roughriders trusted Antoine Brooks Jr to be the starting SAM linebacker so all-star linebacker C.J. Reavis could play safety to stabilize the secondary. Brooks has become a huge playmaker, including a sack and plenty of pressure on Nathan Rourke in the West Final. Mace trusted Brett Lauther to be able to overcome what was turning into a disaster of a season as kicker to get the job done and he’s repaid him by only missing one of his last 15 kicks. So as Rider fans may have questioned all of the above decisions, including the punt and the field goal and the personnel, Coach Mace has some advice. “Just have faith, maybe I guess. Just have faith.” It’s gotten them this far, after all. Read more:

• Jamie Nye: Riders played to win, no matter who played quarterback in Winnipeg
• Jamie Nye: Trevor Harris deserves another year with the Riders, if he wants it
• Jamie Nye: Upon review, the CFL’s replay centre should be overturned

Jill and Rick Van Duyvendyk answer all your gardening questions in Garden Talk on 650 CKOM and 980 CJME every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. Here are some questions and answers from the Nov. 9 show:Read more:

• Garden Talk: Can I plant organic garlic from the grocery store?
• Garden Talk: How to protect your precious potted peonies over winter
• Garden Talk: Last-minute garden activities to take care of this fall

These questions and answers have been edited and condensed for clarity. Q: Is now the time to put a Christmas cactus in the dark for a few days? A: You can definitely put the Christmas cactus in the dark for a few days now. Changing the temperature, changing the light cycle and even taking them out of the pot and transplanting them are going to force it to get some blossoms going. If you haven’t done any pruning, taking the tips off will help promote new growth as well, and that’s where it will bloom too. When you bring it back out into sunlight put it near a window that has like a slight draft but won’t freeze the plant. If the temperature gets to 3 or 4 C or lower close the window. It’s a desert plant and in the desert it gets cool in night To know when to water it, want to stick your finger down into the soil about two inches and it should feel dry to the touch before watering. If there’s moisture in there, leave it alone. When it is in full bloom, you can water it a little bit more but when it’s still in the budding stage, watch that you’re not over-watering it. If you have picked up a Christmas cactus from the store or the nursery, it sometimes has a decorative pot cover that doesn’t have any drainage so make sure to dump out any the excess water that has run through because otherwise you’re going to get root rot. Christmas cactus leaves have a round part and then a jagged edge on the tip. If you break the tip off you can plant them in the soil and create little new plants. Q: What do I do if a chokecherry has black knot? A: Look for is any other branches not only have the black on them but also just the swollen part because that’ll be black next year. Trim those off at least six inches below the affected part. When you trim, keep cleaning your pruners with some bleach or rubbing alcohol. Around the end of April or beginning of May, the black knots open up and shoot their microscopic spores out and they will land on either the same tree or another chokecherry tree in the area, so get it out as soon as you can. Don’t put the trimmings in the compost. Bl;ack knot is a fungus that only affects the chokecherry family so it’s not going to spread to your elm tree or to your apple tree but it is important to make sure that it goes to landfill. If black knot gets into the main trunk and you see big lesions, it’s time to take the tree down. You can spray dormant oil on the tree in April to prevent the spores from growing. Spary as soon as it is warm enough above zero that you can use a hose and sprayer attachment. You need to hit all the branches so just using a little pump sprayer is not going to do it. If your outside taps are still turned off in April, run a hose out through a window to spray your tree down. (Submitted) Q: My plum tree has never produced, and now the trunk is looking a bit odd. What is going on? A: It looks like you have either fungal or spider mite issue on the leaves. Don’t be too concerned about the trunk. If you were missing all the bark on like one half of the tree or a ring all the way around then that would be a problem. When you have any issues with the trunk, it is best to put a trunk wrap around the tree at this time of the year and take it off in May. Do that every year to help keep the sun off and keep the rodents away. If you really want to try to revive a tree that that’s having issues there’s a product from Dirtngrow called Rage Plus, an organic fertilizer that fixes the root system and helps it take up nutrients. It is like Vitamin C when you have a cold. Q: Can I plant strawberry runners in the ground now? A: It’s going to be hard to put them in the ground right now because they’re not going to get rooted in. You could try putting them in the ground and mulching them well, but you can also set them on the ground and mulch them well. You could also put them into some peat moss or sawdust or put them into pots and put them into cold storage where it’s kept a not more than -5 C and not more than 5 C. If you have a heated garage that stays a consistent temperature, but not 10 or 15 C, that would be perfect. Check they don’t go bone dry. Q: How can I help my Saskatoonberry seedlings survive the winter? A: Leave it alone for now. Next year every three weeks from around Mother’s Day to mide July fertilize them. Use between one and two litres of water every time mixed with the fertilizer in an amount recommended on the package. Q: Can I safely prune my apple trees now? A: Now is the time. One thing with your fruit trees is to watch those crossing branches and when the leaves aren’t on the tree, you can see them a lot easier. Take care of water sprouts and branches that come out of the tree and turn and go straight up through the middle. Read more:

• Garden Talk: Can I plant organic garlic from the grocery store?
• Garden Talk: How to protect your precious potted peonies over winter
• Garden Talk: Last-minute garden activities to take care of this fall

The Government of Saskatchewan says a new piece of legislation will provide certainty and stability for resource companies and ensure the province remains a very attractive place for investment by opening up new areas for mining. The Mineral Resources Amendment Act, 2025 was tabled in the Saskatchewan Legislature on Thursday. According to the Ministry of Energy and Resources, the act allows for designated subsurface development areas to be established, enabling companies “to apply for access to mineral resources that would otherwise remain underground.” Read more:

• Creighton copper mine on track for commercial production for mid-2026
• Sask. govt lays out lithium royalty structure as demand for critical minerals grows
• Saskatchewan is Canada’s most attractive jurisdiction for mining investment: Survey

Under the new legislation, resource companies can apply to the minister of energy and resources for a designated development area in cases where a private mineral rights owner can’t be contacted, or if “reasonable efforts have been exhausted to negotiate an agreement.” The ministry said it has designed a fair, transparent process to make sure the interests of mineral rights holders are protected while advancing development to benefit everyone in the province. “Our government is focused on making Saskatchewan a great place for resource companies to explore, invest, build and develop projects for the benefit of all Saskatchewan residents,” Colleen Young, Saskatchewan’s energy and resources minister, said in a statement. “This bill sets up our world class mining sector for continued growth, ensuring a strong economy and a secure future for our province.” The new legislation was welcomed by Pam Schwann, president of the Saskatchewan Mining Association. “These changes enable a win for all parties — while responsibly developing Saskatchewan’s mineral resources,” Schwann said in the government statement. “The ability to openly communicate issues with the Government of Saskatchewan and collaboratively develop solutions is a key reason why Saskatchewan is a globally competitive mining jurisdiction.” Schwann’s comments were echoed by Trevor Berg, an executive with Nutrien. “Developed through strong collaboration between industry and government, this legislation provides greater certainty for producers accessing Saskatchewan’s potash resources,” Berg said in a statement. “By maximizing opportunities for safe and efficient mining, it ensures the province can fully benefit from its world-class mineral assets while delivering lasting value to our communities and economy.” Lawrence Berthelet, of the Mosaic Company, said the changes will open up more value for resource companies working in Saskatchewan. “By enabling companies to tap into stranded assets — that will otherwise never be mined – we are able to produce more potash which means creating millions of dollars in more value for Saskatchewan people, the government and enhancing our ability to mine effectively,” Berthelet said in a statement. “This forward-thinking approach will help secure continued growth for the provincial economy.” According to the ministry, Saskatchewan has been ranked first in Canada for mining investment by the Fraser Institute, and the province is expected to continue that trend by attracting more than $7 billion in overall mining investments this year. Read more:

• Creighton copper mine on track for commercial production for mid-2026
• Sask. govt lays out lithium royalty structure as demand for critical minerals grows
• Saskatchewan is Canada’s most attractive jurisdiction for mining investment: Survey

Saskatchewan’s Jamaican community is coming together to help families and hospitals recover after the Category 5 storm Hurricane Melissa killed 32 people and damaged over 100,000 houses when it struck Jamaica on Oct 28. The Saskatchewan Jamaican Association (SJA) says western Jamaica suffered the worst damage, leaving thousands without homes, power or access to health care. Read more:

• Regina chef fears for family after Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica
• No Canadians reported dead from Hurricane Melissa, Ottawa offers to help region

“The condition in Jamaica is devastating,” said Mavis Ashbourne-Palmer, president of the SJA, “People are hungry, hospitals are destroyed, and children have nothing to eat.” To help, the association will hold a fundraising lunch on Nov. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shiloh Assembly Apostolic Church (1600 Broadway Avenue) in Regina. Tickets cost $30 or $40 and include a chicken or fish meal, and all proceeds will go toward purchasing and shipping emergency supplies to Jamaica, with a focus on rebuilding damaged hospitals. Ashbourne-Palmer says the group is also collecting non-perishable food, clothing, hygiene products and medical supplies, including sterile gloves, blood pressure monitors, and oxygen masks. “People are really suffering and don’t know where to turn,” she said. “It’s very important for us to come together to help the needy.” In a statement issued on Nov. 3, the SJA outlined the most urgently needed medical items, from portable pulse oximeters and catheters to wheelchairs and surgical tape, noting that hospitals in the hardest-hit regions face critical shortages. Donations can be made by e-transfer to the SAJ, by cheque or through coordinated drop-offs. The SJA says all funds and supplies will be sent to reputable organizations in Jamaica that work directly with frontline health care providers. Among those assisting in the relief effort is Mike Thomas, executive director of Football Saskatchewan, and the son of one of the association’s founders. Thomas said the devastation is unlike anything he has seen, even compared to Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. “To see what the island used to look like and what it currently does, is unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my lifetime, and even for my parents, they’ve never experienced anything like that.” His parents, who live in southeastern Jamaica, were spared the worst but relatives along the north coast saw significant property damage. “Every little bit counts,” Thomas said. “Even if you’re not of Jamaican or Caribbean descent, it still matters, because we’re all human and want to do the humanitarian thing.” Ashbourne-Palmer said another fundraiser is planned for December as the association continues to coordinate support. “We know we’re resilient people,” she said. “But without your help, we can’t accomplish what we want to accomplish for the Jamaican people.”

by Rob Drinkwater Christopher Best told his family not to worry about the pictures of polar bears he was snapping and posting on social media as he worked at a radar site in Nunavut. “Chris said, ‘Well, yeah, they’re not close to us,'” his mother, Shelly Cox, said he told his stepfather on a call shortly before he was killed by a bear on Aug. 8, 2024. Read more:

• N.S. chief justices supports individual judges banning poppies in court
• COP30 primer: Here’s what to know about the annual UN climate talks and Canada’s role
• Freeland tasked with tapping Canadian businesses to help rebuild Ukraine

“‘God, Dad,’ he said, ‘You know I know the difference, right?'” A report into Best’s death by Nasittuq Corporation, the company that operates North Warning System’ sites stretching from Yukon to eastern Labrador, says the 34-year-old went outside with his camera at the remote installation on Brevoort Island. He had been told a bear was nearby, says the report. Best went out a door with a large sign warning of polar bears and rounded the corner of a building, thinking the animal was off in the distance. Two bears in attack But Best didn’t appear to know there was a second bear. The report says surveillance video shows that bear cut off a route for Best to run to a building for safety and charged. The first bear then joined the attack. “I don’t think he would have went out if he would have known that second bear was there,” Cox said in an interview from her home in Goose Bay, N.L. She said the tragedy could have been prevented and that changes are needed, such as fences and motion-sensor monitors with alarms, to make radar sites safer. The report says there had previously been no known fatalities or injuries from a bear attack during operation of the North Warning System or its predecessor, the DEW Line, for seven decades. Best grew up in Labrador, said Cox. He liked reading and photography, and had worked a variety of jobs, from cleaning barbecues in Toronto to working as an assistant on the reality TV show Alone. He also had earlier stints as a custodian and a general labourer on North Warning System sites. She said he was good with computers and was hired by the company again to do logistics work. Due to the sensitive nature of the radar sites, she said, he was waiting for security clearance before he could begin that job and agreed to something else in the interim — fuel tank cleaning. Best and other members of a tank cleaning crew arrived at the site the day before the attack. The report says they spotted a bear and took photos from the safety of a vehicle, which Best posted online. Best asked a wildlife monitor at the site to let him know when bears were around so he could take more pictures, says the report. That employee saw Best at the end of the work shift on Aug. 8 and told him a bear was outside. Some radar sites are inland and rarely experience bears, the report says, including ones where Best previously worked. It also wasn’t uncommon for workers to take hikes after-hours at those sites. Problem bear at Brevoort in 2023 The Brevoort site was different, however. A problem bear was killed there in 2023, after it repeatedly tried to enter buildings and couldn’t be deterred. Due to the bear risk, workers at Brevoort were allowed to smoke inside the technical services building near an exhaust fan. One worker there looked out a garage door window and saw the bears attacking Best and yelled for a gun. There wasn’t a gun, so he ran to the accommodations building and alerted the wildlife monitor, who went and fired a non-lethal bear-banger from a 12-guage shotgun. The report says both bears ran but one turned back and charged, forcing the monitor to fatally shoot it. Another employee arrived with a weapon and kept watch while others loaded Best into a truck and brought his body inside. An RCMP officer delivered the news to Cox at her home early the next morning. “We were just in shock,” Cox said. “I stayed up all night, too, just waiting for someone to get up so I could tell my family.” Proposals to improve safety The report makes several proposals to improve its safety policies, including requiring any worker going outside after-hours to get permission from a manager or supervisor. It also says public address system announcements should be made when bears are known to be outside. Best underwent training for polar bear awareness, the report says, but some documentation for course completion was missing. It also proposes fencing be erected at some areas in the camp. The report notes a substance believed to be from a grease trap was found in snow near the attack but it probably had no more effect in attracting bears than smells from the facility’s kitchen. Employment and Social Development Canada says its report on the death is not yet complete. In an email, it says that under the Canada Labour Code, federally regulated employers must protect the health and safety of employees and fines can be imposed for infractions. Nasittuq said in a statement it wasn’t able to comment since the federal government report isn’t finished. “We care deeply for the safety and well-being of all our employees and feel for everyone who continues to be affected by this tragic incident,” it said. Best’s camera, along with the SD card containing his photos, were eventually sent to his mother along with the rest of his belongings. Cox said she’s still trying to get all the details she can. “I don’t care. I want to know everything. That’s just the person I am. I’m not letting it go.” Read more:

• N.S. chief justices supports individual judges banning poppies in court
• COP30 primer: Here’s what to know about the annual UN climate talks and Canada’s role
• Freeland tasked with tapping Canadian businesses to help rebuild Ukraine

 

The Hardy Cup is coming back to Saskatoon as the USask Huskies mounted a late comeback to defeat the Regina Rams and win their 22nd Canada West football title.

Shirley Hildbrand (volunteer) and Tanya Gervais (volunteer) were among those recognized.

Many welcome announcements of federal investment, but concerns about a big $78 billion deficit

Family Service Regina says potential new funding from the federal government for gender-based violence programs will help kick-start new ideas.

The heads of Nova Scotia's supreme and provincial courts are expressing their support for judges who ban court staff from pinning poppies to their robes during proceedings after some Canadian politicians called the practice wrong.

VICTORIA — An animal sanctuary in B.C.'s interior says it is facing a "heartbreaking" experience after discovering a positive case of H5N1, also known as avian flu. Critteraid, based in Summerland B.C., says in a social media post dated Nov.

HALIFAX — The heads of Nova Scotia's supreme and provincial courts are expressing their support for judges who ban court staff from pinning poppies to their robes during proceedings after some Canadian politicians called the practice wrong.

HALIFAX — The heads of Nova Scotia's supreme and provincial courts are expressing their support for judges who ban court staff from pinning poppies to their robes during proceedings after some Canadian politicians called the practice wrong.

A commitment to continued involvement in the community as a thank you for support during the Jr. Rebels' season

SaskPower crews have been dispatched.

Canada Red takes 6-3 win over Canada White in championship game

An investigation has determined a male and female entered the business with a firearm and demanded cash.

At this time, the investigation is ongoing. This is the 10th homicide in Regina in 2025.

The Grey Cup spotlight will be on Davis Alexander this week in Winnipeg.

The Grey Cup spotlight will be on Davis Alexander this week in Winnipeg. The Montreal quarterback takes an unblemished 13-0 career record as a CFL starter into the Alouettes' Grey Cup showdown with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Nov. 16.