Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Tuesday morning.
Youth took lives of parents, self in their Coniston home
Sudbury police have determined 17-year-old Ashton Desormeaux took the lives of his parents, Brian and Janet Dessormeaux, before taking his own life.
All three reportedly sustained fatal gunshot wounds at their home on Caruso Street in Coniston.
Their bodies were discovered during the evening of Oct. 30 after a concerned person reportedly smashed a window with a propane tank to go inside in order to check in on the family.
Officers were dispatched to the home at approximately 6:30 p.m. that night.
“Through the investigation and working in collaboration with the Coroner’s Office, there is no evidence that the youth had been diagnosed with or was being treated for a mental health-related illness,” according to a media release issued by Sudbury police on Monday.
“Out of respect for the family, no further details will be released.”
CUPE ends protests; Ford promises to repeal Bill 28
Leaders from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have promised to stand down their protests in light of the provincial government's announcement this morning they will repeal Bill 28. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday he is willing to rescind the legislation that imposed a contract on 55,000 education workers and banned them from striking, if the workers' union agrees to end a walkout that's shut many schools since Friday. Ford said he is willing to be flexible and go back to the bargaining table, but CUPE education workers have to get back into the classroom. Ford called it a "gesture of good faith" and CUPE responded with its own "gesture." "We will be collapsing our protest sites starting tomorrow," said Laura Walton, president of CUPE's Ontario School Board Council of Unions. "We hope this ... is met with the same good faith by this government in a new proposal at the bargaining table as soon as possible. I will be clear, we're here waiting right now. Time is ticking."
Wolves double up on visiting Steelheads
The five goals the Sudbury Wolves scored in the first period of their Sunday afternoon, home-ice tilt against the Mississauga Steelheads proved an insurmountable lead for the southern Ontario visitors. Sudbury went on a tear from the moment the puck dropped at Sudbury Arena at 2:05 p.m. on Nov. 6. While the shots-on-goal figures are fairly even (Mississauga had 39 to Sudbury’s 29), the Wolves had the accuracy and doubled up on the Steelheads in terms of successful shots on goal, winning the game 8-4. Penalty-wise, the game was pretty busy as well with 15 total penalties (nine for Mississauga, six for Sudbury). The Wolves were 50-per-cent on the power play (capitalizing on three of their six penalties), while Mississauga was at 30-per-cent success rate. The win sees the Wolves improve their record to 4-8-2-0, good enough for ninth place in the OHL’s Eastern Conference and 18th overall. The loss drops the Steelheads’ record to 9-4-1-0, with the team sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference and fifth overall in the OHL. The Wolves are back in action on Friday, Nov. 11, against the Guelph Storm.
Photos: CUPE education workers hit the picket lines again
Before Premier Doug Ford agreed to repeal Bill 28 after CUPE agreed to end its labour action. More than 100 CUPE education workers in Sudbury were out protesting near the corner of The Kingsway and Barrydowne Road on Monday as they joined colleagues across Ontario in a walkout that began on Friday. While some local schools were closed on Friday after OPSEU education workers joined in their colleagues’ protest, they were back open on Monday. The CUPE members walked off the job on Friday despite legislation that imposed a contract on the 55,000 education workers, including custodians, maintenance workers and educational assistants, banning them from striking. The province also invoked the notwithstanding clause, which allows it to override sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. While the government has backed away from the hard stance it took, the move to force a contract tested the resolve of the union, which is clear from the photos of local protests
St. John Ambulance volunteers celebrated at awards ceremony
Although the pandemic put a dent in their volunteer numbers, several local St. John Ambulance members received commendations last weekend for sticking it out. Various awards were handed out during a ceremony, including to the organization’s leadership, but it’s the medical first responder volunteers visible in the community working local events. “They’re a great group of people,” St. John Ambulance Northeastern Ontario executive director Heather Roy said of the group of approximately 30 volunteers currently working in Sudbury. The volunteers attend various local events, many of which in the evenings, in order to be on hand in the event of medical emergencies. Honorary commissioner of Northeastern Ontario Kevin McCormick said St. John Ambulance volunteers are often mistaken for paid staff. “Our volunteers are not paid but they’re priceless for what they do for their community,” he said, adding that their dedication serves as an inspiration to others.
Inquest announced for millwright’s cyanide poisoning death
A Coroner's Inquest will be held in December into the death of Denis Millette, a 52-year-old millwright who died in 2015 at the remote Detour Gold mine property north of Cochrane, Ontario. A news release from the office of Dr. Harry Voogjarv, Regional Supervising Coroner for North Region, said the inquest will be held as an online event on Dec. 12. Under the Coroners Act in Ontario, an inquest is mandatory when a mine employee dies on the job. The news release said the inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Millette’s death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths in similar circumstances. The inquest is expected to last seven days and hear from approximately 15 witnesses, said the release. Previous court hearings revealed that Millette was assigned to repair a leak connected to a cyanide reactor, which is used to leach gold from the ore in the refinery. Cyanide reactors are considered extremely dangerous and permission was required to enter the locked enclosure where they are located. Millette was given permission, but was not fully aware of the danger involved, said a previous court hearing.
Registrations now open for 2023 Sudbury Music Festival
Registrations are now open for the 2023 Sudbury Music Festival. The festival, formerly the Kiwanis Music Festival of Sudbury, will be held from March 25 to April 5, 2023, and will be a mostly in-person affair for the first time in two years. “The majority of Sudbury Music Festival participants will perform and receive feedback face-to-face with their adjudicator,” the festival said in a news release. “School choirs, bands and other large ensembles will have the option to submit video recordings for adjudication or perform in-person.” The festival said after two years of virtual, online activities, organizers are excited to continue the 76-year-old event in person this year. "Festival co-ordinator Louis Simão and the organizing board have been working for the past several months to ensure Sudbury and area music students have a chance to perform and compete as they have over the past 76 years," said festival board chair Ralph McIntosh. "After two challenging yet successful online festivals, we are all looking forward to the return of live, in-person events." All relevant information, including the 2023 syllabus, is available at SudburyMusicFestival.ca starting on Nov. 1.
Today’s high will be more seasonal
The temperature today will be more typical of a November day. Expect a high of 5 today under sunny skies. Wind will be up to 15 km/h. The wind chill today — yes, there is wind chill today — is -7 in the morning. The UV index today is two, or low. For tonight, the skies will stay clear and the mercury will drop to -2.
