Tag: Canada

Lighter News

Lottery Winner In BC Donates Money To Help Community

When blankets arrived for the homeless and new cars appeared for those in need, people in the city of Terrace in British Columbia thought it must be magic.

It turned out the magic was coming from Bob Erb, 60, who won $25-million in a national lottery called Lotto Max.

Erb believes in sharing his wealth.

In fact, since he won the lottery about a month ago, he’s given away more than $7-million.

He has given money to the staff at the gas station where he bought the ticket.

He gave $20,000 to the man who sold him the ticket.

He’s given money and shoes to the homeless. And he’s helped support more than a dozen local businesses.

Erb has been buying lottery tickets for more than 40 years.

One day, the clerk he bought the ticket from accidentally rang up more “plays” than Erb had asked for. But he let it ride.

And it’s a good thing he did, because one of those plays hit the $25-million jackpot.

Erb’s generosity has helped his whole community.

The new vehicles he bought and gave away helped the car sellers have a better year.

And if people he chose didn’t need the vans, they passed them on to someone else in need.

Kids Sports

Banning Bodychecking Makes Hockey Safer For Kids

Changing the rules of hockey to reduce aggressive behaviour like bodychecking is the best way to keep kids safer on the ice, according to a group of Canadian researchers.

In hockey, body checking is when one player charges into another player.

The researchers looked at the different ways people have tried to reduce injuries among young hockey players.

They found that the most effective method is to introduce a “no bodychecking” rule, or at least raise the age when players can begin to bodycheck.

The number of young hockey players suffering brain and spinal cord injuries has increased in the past 15 years.

On some teams, as many as one-quarter of the players will suffer a concussion during a season.

These injuries are often caused by bodychecking.

News Sports

The “Voice Of The Blue Jays” Wins Prestigious Award

Grown men have been known to tear up upon hearing the famous words: “Touch ’em all, Joe!”

They were spoken by Blue Jays’ baseball radio broadcaster Tom Cheek back in 1993.

Recently, the Baseball Hall of Fame announced that the “voice of the Blue Jays” would receive the prestigious Ford C. Frick award for broadcasting excellence.

Many fans consider the award long overdue.

Cheek was part of the first Blue Jays radio broadcast. He continued to be the voice of the Blue Jays for 27 years.

From his first game to his last, he never missed a game. He worked 4,306 games in a row–from April 1977 until June 2004.

Cheek also broadcast 41 playoff games.

Cheek experienced struggles in his early years.

He was also witness to back-to-back World Series championships for the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993.

But topping it all was the call he made in 1993.

Blue Jays outfielder Joe Carter had just hit a huge home run to win the World Series.

News Politics

Ontario Teachers’ Strike Actions May Escalate In December

The “strike actions” that teachers are taking in Ontario may escalate in December.

In this case, “strike actions” refer to things the teachers and their union are doing to bring attention to the issues that are important to them.

In order to get that attention, many Ontario teachers have already chosen to not participate in extra-curricular activities as well as other things on certain days of the week.

News

Bank Of Canada’s Loss Is England’s Gain

On Monday, Mark Carney made news when he announced that he was leaving his job as Governor of the Bank of Canada to become the Governor of the Bank of England.

The governor of a country’s central bank watches over the country’s money, and sets interest rates for borrowing or lending money to governments and others.

The governor also has to make sure there is enough cash in government accounts to cover all the programs it runs.

The central bank’s governor sets policies and rules for money matters at the highest level.

Carney told reporters that he took the job with the Bank of England because it will be a challenge.

He meant that he wanted to see if he could do a harder, or different, job than what he is doing now.

England is part of the United Kingdom, which is a member of the European Union.

Right now, the European Union is facing big decisions to make sure Europe’s financial future is strong.

Carney will have to help England to make those decisions.

Kids News

Introducing Ukes To Youths

The kids at one elementary school in eastern Toronto get to play ukuleles every week.

The ukulele lessons are thanks to Melanie Doane and James Hill, two musicians who helped launch the Ukulele in the Classroom program, an ongoing teacher-training program and ukulele teaching method.

A ukulele is a small string instrument that looks like a mini guitar.

It has a long neck and a hollow body, but instead of having six strings like a guitar, a ukulele only has four.

Making music with a uke is a good way for a big group of people to learn about and experience music.

“It’s a springboard into music,” says Doane.

A uke is small and affordable, so people of all ages can learn the basics of how to play, like plucking and strumming the strings.

From there, groups of ukulele players can learn how to play together to create harmony and layers.

After only a short time, even beginners can create melodies. “Because you can make music, it is so exciting,” says Doane.

Breaking News News Politics

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Removed From Office

A judge has ruled that the mayor of one of the largest cities in North America has to step down.

Toronto’s Mayor, Rob Ford, has been removed from office–in other words, forced to stop being the mayor.

The judge’s decision takes effect two weeks from now. That’s when Ford must be out of his office.

Ford was elected in 2010 and had another two years to go, in his term as mayor.

Ford was found to have violated “conflict of interest” laws.

That’s because when Ford was a councillor, he raised some money for the football team he coaches, using City Hall stationery.

The city’s integrity commissioner — the person who advises elected officials about ethics — told Ford he had to give the money back. Ford refused.

When he became mayor, Ford asked council to reverse the decision.

In other words, he asked councillors to vote to let him keep the money and not have to give it back. Ford also voted in that vote.

The judge said that the mayor voting in this way was a conflict of interest.

News Sports

Canada Gets Grey Cup Fever, Toronto Hotel Gets A Visit From A Horse

Excitement is building as Canadians everywhere are getting Grey Cup fever.

The fever is particularly high in Toronto. Not only will the game be played there, but the Toronto Argonauts are one of the teams vying for the championship.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Grey Cup championship, which decides which Canadian Football League (CFL) team is the best.

It is played between the winners of the CFL’s East and West Divisional playoffs.

The Toronto Argonauts are set to play the Calgary Stampeders on Sunday.

The winner will take home the trophy known as The Grey Cup.

Toronto was the site for the first Grey Cup, back in 1912.

The 2012 game will also be played in Toronto, at the Rogers Centre.

It’s unusual for the city hosting the Grey Cup to also have their team playing in the Grey Cup.

The last time Toronto won the Grey Cup while playing at home was in 1952.

News

Celebs Sleep Outside For Homeless Fundraiser

Celebrities can usually afford a nice home, a comfy bed and tasty food.

But last Thursday, Arlene Dickinson and Brian Burke slept outside on the ground in only sleeping bags.

That night, the temperature dropped to 0-degrees C.

Dickinson is one of the “dragons” from TV’s Dragon’s Den, a show in which wealthy businesspeople invest in new businesses.

Burke is the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.

Both of them have plenty of money and can afford nice accommodations.

They were “sleeping rough” to help raise money for Covenant House, which provides shelter and services to homeless kids in Toronto and other big Canadian cities.

News Sports

Toronto Raptors Basketball Team Has A New Line-Up

The 2012/2013 National Basketball Association season is officially underway.

There are 30 teams vying for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, including Canada’s only professional basketball team, the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors have a new-look team this season.

Three of the five Raptors’s starters this year weren’t with the team last year.

The Raptors’s starting lineup includes two players who have been on the team before: DeMar DeRozen and Andrea Bargnani.

The Raptors believe in DeRozen as a player.

They recently signed him to a four-year, $40-million contract extension.