Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your Monday morning.
Ontario reports more than 10,000 daily cases of COVID-19 for the first time
The province recorded more than 10,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 for the first time on Christmas Day. The 10,412 diagnoses surpass the previous record of 9,571, which was set Friday. On Boxing Day, 9,826 of COVID were reported, a tweet sent out by Ontario's Deputy Premier Christine Elliott said. Cases of COVID-19 have been surging in the province due to the highly infectious Omicron variant.
Laurentian asks court for stay of Speaker’s Warrant requiring it to hand over privileged documents
Counsel for Laurentian University is asking the court for a stay of the Speaker’s warrant issued against the university earlier this month. That Speaker’s warrant orders Laurentian president Robert Haché and Claude Lacroix, who’s now the former president of the university’s board of governors, to release a long list of documents, including privileged documents, by Feb. 1. Laurentian University, which declared insolvency this past winter, continues to undergo restructuring under the Companies Creditors’ Arrangement Act (or CCAA for short). The stay Laurentian is asking for is “pending a determination of whether their issuance fell within the scope and extent of the Legislative Assembly’s parliamentary privilege, or further order of the Court.” Alternatively, Laurentian is asking for “advice and directions from the Court on how the University should comply with the Speaker’s warrants, given the existing court orders and the CCAA restructuring process.” Read the full story here.
Liberals delay new regulations to lower price of medicines in Canada
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has put a six-month pause on new regulations designed to lower the cost of patented medicines in Canada. Health Canada first announced in 2019 that the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) would change how it sets a price cap on medicines in Canada in an effort to lower excessively expensive drug costs. This will be the fourth delay in implementing those changes. The regulations were supposed to come into force at the beginning of January, but have been pushed back to July 1, 2022. Learn more here.
Sudbury baker Justine Martin adds yet another award to her resume
Guilty Pleasures Bakeshop in Greater Sudbury has been recognized as a winner in the “Global Round” of the International Wedding Awards, an award presented to distinguished cake decorators across the world. Winners for the International Wedding Awards are selected based on their client reviews and wedding portfolios from the last calendar year. Guilty Pleasures Bakeshop boasts a 5-star rating across all wedding platforms. Learn more here.
Playwrights developing new work can apply for Ontario Arts Council grants through STC
Sudbury Theatre Centre has once again been chosen as a participant in the Ontario Arts Council’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators program, a program to assist theatre creators in developing new work. Recommenders are organizations authorized by OAC to receive applications, review them, and make grant recommendations. OAC allocates a budget to each of the participating recommenders. Writers from Northern Ontario or writers working on plays relevant to life in Northern Ontario are all encouraged to apply. Read the full story.
St. Andrew’s Place seniors enjoy hot turkey dinners in a COVID-safe fashion
Hot turkey meals were provided to the seniors who call St. Andrew’s Place their home on Dec. 14. The St. Andrew’s Place board of directors normally hosts an on-site Christmas dinner for seniors who live in “The Place” in downtown Sudbury. Due to the pandemic, the last two years have presented special challenges. However, the board has been able to arrange safe options for continuing this popular tradition. The board partnered with Kuppajo Espresso Bar, a commercial tenant in The Place. Owner Betty-Ann Serré followed all guidelines of Public Health Sudbury & Districts, including the use of masks and gloves, and physical distancing. Turkey dinners were packaged, placed on carts, and brought door-to-door to over 120 apartments in the complex. Read the full story.
Monday weather:
Monday it will become cloudy in the morning. Light snow beginning in the afternoon. Wind up to 15 km/h. High of -8 C. Wind chill -24 C in the morning and -13 C in the afternoon. Monday night the snow ends overnight then cloudy with 40 per cent chance of flurries. Risk of freezing drizzle overnight. Amount 2 to 4 cm. Wind up to 15 km/h. Temperature steady near -9 C. Wind chill near -14 C.
