Paramedic logs from 2022 are highlighting some of the pressures Regina EMS workers have been facing for months including one instance where a patient died following offload delays at the hospital, the documents indicate.

An offload delay occurs when ambulance patients cannot be immediately transferred into a hospital bed and paramedics have to wait until the patient is admitted.

The documents were provided to CTV News from a source who filed a Freedom of Information request. They include daily logs written by paramedic supervisors from January to December 2022.

On Sept. 13, 2022, the log reads “coroner called looking for information from [offload delay] that went into cardiac arrest.”

In an emailed statement, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said it “cannot comment on specific cases or individuals due to privacy legislation.”

Paul Merriman, Saskatchewan’s minister of health, said the ministry works with the coroners service during investigations of this nature.

“I’m not familiar with this specific incident and I couldn’t comment on this specific incident that the coroner is looking into, but we always make sure that we work well with the coroner and the SHA and all of our affiliates to implement any recommendations that come out of that office,” Merriman said.

The format of the paramedic supervisor logs changed in October to include more details. Paramedics who spoke with CTV News highlighted some instances that were the most concerning for them.

On Oct. 22, notes indicate there were no units available to go to a Seroquel overdose.

Oct. 27 showed calls waiting for more than five hours, meaning some people who called 911 had to wait that long to receive help.

On Oct. 29, notes state a patient with chest pain was held for 50 minutes and there were no transport units for an overdose patient, but a bystander administered NARCAN. The supervisor notes go on to say “we [have to] be able to dig our medics out of the hospital when required in a reasonable amount of time. I feel like a broken record.”

Nov. 1 saw offload delays of 10-plus hours. On this day, notes indicate there were no units available to respond to a cardiac arrest. There was also a medic assaulted that day.

On Nov. 9, it took 28 minutes for an ambulance to be dispatched to a call for a high priority pediatric seizure. Offload delays reached 10-plus hours and help was brought in from Carlyle EMS.

“We take all concerns from patients and their family members very seriously,” the statement from the SHA said.

“Anyone who has concerns over their care experience is encouraged to contact our quality of care coordinators. Through this patient-centered service, we can work with the patient and their family members through a respectful and confidential process to find out how we can help.”

In January, the Alberta government released an overview of two reports looking into the province’s troubled EMS system. A number of recommendations were made as a result of the reports.

Saskatchewan’s health minister said the government and the SHA are transparent with the public, noting Freedom of Information requests are always an option.

“We do report out lots of data to the public on various things within our healthcare system and we’ll continue to do that. I’m not familiar with the Alberta report, but I’ll certainly have a look at and if it’s something that we could be implementing in Saskatchewan, I’ll definitely talk to my officials and see about a process,” Merriman said.

The NDP’s health care critic said there should be more transparency, specifically around deaths.

“I do have concerns that it’s happened more broadly than this one situation and that’s not okay,” Vicki Mowat, NDP MLA, said.

DROPPED AMBULANCES

According to the documents provided to CTV News, every day in November saw at least one ambulance dropped. On some days, there were four or five ambulances dropped.

In an interview with CTV News in November, the SHA’s south zone EMS director indicated that most days the ambulances are fully staffed. They are considered fully staffed with 11 ambulances during peak hours.

“Most days we are at 11,” director Glen Perchie said. “There are days when we are down a car, definitely.”

Paramedics who spoke with CTV News say ambulances are typically dropped because there aren’t enough employees working.

On Wednesday, the province announced 24.5 full-time equivalent paramedic positions in Regina. They will be implemented in the next three months.

The positions are expected to help staff two additional ambulances in the city, along with two smaller paramedic response units.

“This is the first step in being able to create some more efficiencies within our hospitals, certainly in Regina and in Saskatoon which have seen some pressures over the last few months,” Merriman said.

The NDP said any support is good news, but noted this is just the beginning until those positions are actually filled.

“We know that we need system wide reform but we also need to make sure that people are cared for when they’re in their most critical times. Part of that is making sure we have paramedics and ambulances on the road, and part of that is that the care is available when you get to the emergency rooms,” Mowat said.

The health minister said the province is hoping to fill the new positions with as many Saskatchewan students as possible.

One of Saskatchewan’s oldest hockey rinks has garnered national attention for its unique features and unusual design.

The community rink in Lang, Sask. just turned 95 years old and still has much of its original infrastructure, including what players call the “catwalk.”

The catwalk is a drawbridge-style staircase that players use to go from the dressing rooms in the attic down to the ice surface.

“It’s counterweighted with some cement blocks so you slowly come down it and it’s supposed to slowly draw down,” said rink board member Mike Williams.

“When you’re done you push it back up with your hockey stick and away you go.”

A video of two men’s league hockey players nearly getting stuck on the staircase went viral earlier this week.

This has to be the craziest way to get on the ice we’ve ever seen, TSN said on Twitter

“That was probably the only time I’ve ever seen anyone have an issue with it to be honest,” Williams said.

All ages get to use the catwalk when they play inside the Lang rink, including the U9 Milestone Selects who played against Regina on Wednesday night.

“It was kind of scary. I was scared I was going to fall onto the ice,” said Selects player Ryder Moon.

Moon, 8, said her father learned to skate in Lang’s rink and her uncle used to play for the hometown team. The significance was not lost on her during her second time at the rink.

“It’s pretty cool,” she said.

“I really like playing in these old barns.”

Moon said the rink’s makeshift Zamboni is another highlight.

Volunteers flood the natural ice with a green barrel on two wheels that they fill with hot water. A mop, custom-made by a woman in town, is attached to the back.

The contraption is about 70 years old, according to Williams.

“Every now and then we try to make some engineering improvements to it, but over the years it’s done us well,” he said.

This year, Williams said they were able to hire someone to be the official Zamboni walker. But in previous years, volunteers take turns each night scraping and flooding the ice, which is about 80 per cent of the size of a regular rink.

NDP leader Carla Beck was born and raised in Lang. She called it a “rite of passage” when she was finally old enough to push the scrapers on the ice.

“It was unique and in a town of 200 it took a lot of people pitching in and making sure the ice was cleaned in time for the next period,” Beck said.

“It’s more than a building. It’s a place where people learn some independence—the first time you get to go down those stairs by yourself, the first time you get to scrape the ice.”

According to volunteers, Lang’s natural ice is fairly unique.

Mike Saip, has been volunteering at the rink for the last 35 years. He helps put the ice in every season, using both town and rain water to flood it.

“It makes nice, natural, hard ice. I don’t think there’s many other rinks out there that you’re going to find with this kind of ice,” Saip said.

“Big city rinks compared to this, it’s quite a difference.”

The rink is known for creating memories for every generation.

Beau Bechard played in Lang 30 years ago. He still remembers the stairs and the cheering fans hanging over the boards on the second level.

Bechard now coaches his young daughter and gets to watch her play on the very same ice that he did.

“Just thinking back to all the memories I had growing up and her getting to experience this is pretty cool,” he said.

“I’ve noticed from coaching that the kids all just love coming to these old rinks.”

Williams said the rink is a “second home” that the community is trying to keep for generations to come.

The rink board recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover maintenance and repair costs.

“It’s not cheap to upkeep an old barn like this,” he said.

Volunteers recently replaced the puck boards in the rink. Williams said it took two and a half summers and 1,000 man-hours to complete, and cost $18,000.

It was a lot of work, but he said it’s worth it.

“We just want every next generation to get to experience what we experienced, whether it’s unlimited ice time or just the nostalgia of getting to play in your hometown,” Williams said.

The final details are being chiselled into place at the REAL District in preparation for the second annual Frost Festival taking place Feb. 3 to 12.

Event co-chair Tim Reid said last year’s inaugural event had its challenges.

“Last year, we learned what doing events in the winter is really all about,” he said. “This year we’re more precise with our programming.”

160 blocks of ice, weighing over 300 pounds apiece, were brought in for ice sculptures, snow mazes and of course, slides.

Barry Collier and his team from Edmonton have worked hard in the days leading up to the festival to make sure their feature sculptures, including a dragon, a truck, and full living room set are ready for visitors Friday.

“It’s about interacting with the crowd,” said Collier. “That’s the greatest joy about doing this, bringing people outside and really embracing our winter.”

They will be providing sculpting demonstrations throughout Frost.

For those looking to warm up, there are multiple free indoor events at REAL as well. The Harvard Lounge at Mosaic Stadium will have live local music Friday and Saturday nights.

In addition, people can take a walk inside to catch a train ride through the revamped version of ‘Glow,’ featuring more than 300,000 lights.

Figure skating legend Elvis Stojko is also back at Frost again this year.

“It’s great to be indoors this year, a little bit warmer,” he said. “The people [in Regina] are wonderful and it’s always great to be out here.”

Tickets from REAL to access Glow and the Stojko shows at the Brandt Centre can be purchased here.

Early-bird pricing will end at midnight on Feb. 3.

This year, the festival is sprawling out around Regina to Downtown, the Warehouse District, Wascana Park and RCMP Heritage Centre. Each hub will have its own varying style.

“People want differing experiences,” said Reid. “You’ll see hubs are very focused on different demographics and ultimately, there will be something for everybody at each hub.”

What really made Frost shine this year is the over 200 volunteers dedicating their time.

“We have such an active group within our volunteers,” said Charlene Oancia, volunteer manager. “It continues to grow and make our events successful. They’re the icing on the cake.”

Frost Festival opening ceremonies are Friday night at the RCMP Heritage Centre beginning at 5 p.m.

The Farmer and Rancher Mental Health (FARMh) Initiative has launched a mental wellness network along with a virtual toolbox full of mental health resources for the agriculture community.

The program was initially launched in 2021 with a research team who collected data from over 100 producers about effective mental supports.

The information gathered during phase one of the program was used to launch the SaskAgMatters Network.

Phase two of the project was launched and focuses on a virtual toolbox that the agriculture community can use.

Michelle Pavloff is the research chair of rural health at Saskatchewan Polytechnic and she said the toolbox would contain a range of resources.

“Whether that is suicide intervention strategies, help for addictions, and free counselling services,” Pavloff said. “What we are doing is looking at filling the drawers of that toolbox and evaluating them to find out if they are meeting the needs of the producers.”

The toolbox will be incorporated into the SaskAgMatters Network. The network already offers free mental health services for producers.

“They can go to www.SaskAgMatters.ca and have access to six free one hour counselling sessions for themselves and their families,” Pavloff said.

Will Banford and his family are cattle ranchers in Eastend, Sask. They donated a heifer to SaskAgMatters at the start of the pandemic to help kickstart the program.

“In the farming community, there is a huge stigma,” Banford said. “You have to be tough and not talk about things.”

With the donation, SaskAgMatters Network was able to provide producers free counselling sessions.

“It is a good feeling that our family wanted to help try and break the stigma,” Banford said. “[Producers] are some of the best people out there but they have a lot of stuff that is built up but they don’t talk about it.”

Phase two is expected to end in 2025 with phase 3 focusing on evaluating the network and toolbox and making adjustments and altering resources as needed.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has given Saskatchewan a “B” grade on its 13th annual red tape report card.

In business terms, red tape is an idiom referring to regulations or conformity to rules or standards that are considered excessive or redundant.

Saskatchewan received the grade as part of Red Tape Awareness Week.

Brianna Solberg from the CFIB said the report card was divided into three categories regulatory accountability, regulatory burden and political priority.

“In terms of regulatory accountability Saskatchewan earns a ‘B’ in this category, which is a good grade,” Solberg said in an interview with CTV Morning Live.

Solberg said that grade essentially means Saskatchewan is reporting its regulatory count and are clearly letting people know what sort of rules need to be followed.

“They lose marks in this category though because they don’t have those rules and policies downloadable in a simple data format,” she said.

Solberg said the regulatory burden category looked at how open the government is to helping businesses navigate the challenges that they could face.

“[It also looked at] how burdensome are the rules and regulations, how unnecessary and complicated are they,” Solberg said.

“The last category we go into political priority and that’s a new indicator for us this year.”

Solberg said the political priority category looked to see if members of government including the premier are making red tape reduction a priority and whether or not it’s part of their mandate.

“When we talk about red tape we are not talking about removing all rules and regulations by any means,” Solberg said. “We understand there is a need for regulations, we’re not talking about getting rid of hard hats on construction sites.”

Solberg said they are referring to overly burdensome outdated and complicated processes that businesses must follow.

We’re looking to see governments identify those and work to reduce them so that more business owners can focus on running their business,” Solberg said.

The CFIB is Canada’s largest association of small and medium sized businesses. Over 97,000 businesses from across the country are members.

Nestle Canada says it is winding down its frozen meals and pizza business in Canada over the next six months.

The four brands that will no longer be sold in the freezer aisle at Canadian grocery stores are Delissio, Stouffers, Lean Cuisine and Life Cuisine.

The company says it is focusing on categories that support long-term business growth, including confectionary, coffee, ice cream, premium water and pet food.

Nestle Canada president and CEO John Carmichael says this decision will allow the company to further invest in the categories its prioritizing.

The company does not manufacture these products in Canada, so no manufacturing facilities in Canada will be affected.

Nestle says it will work with its retail partners to facilitate the exit of these products from stores.

The United States has answered President Volodymyr Zelenskyys plea for rockets that can strike deep behind the front lines of the nearly year-long conflict with Russia.

Now Russian forces will need to adapt or face potentially catastrophic losses.

The new weapon, the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), will allow Ukraines military to hit targets at twice the distance reachable by the rockets it now fires from the U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). If included as expected in an upcoming weapons-aid package first reported by Reuters, the 151 km (94 mile) GLSDB will put all of Russias supply lines in the east of the country within reach, as well as part of Russian-occupied Crimea.

This will force Russia to move its supplies even farther from the front lines, making its soldiers more vulnerable and greatly complicating plans for any new offensive.

This could slow down [a Russian assault] significantly, said Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Ukraines former defence minister. Just as HIMARS significantly influenced the course of events, these rockets could influence the course of events even more.

GLSDB is GPS-guided glide bomb that can maneuver to hit hard-to-reach targets such as command centers. Made jointly by SAAB AB SAABb.ST and Boeing Co BA.N, it combines the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) with the M26 rocket motor, both of which are common in U.S. inventories.

It is not yet compatible with HIMARS, but the United States will provide Ukraine new launchers for the rockets, said sources. GLSDB could be delivered as early as spring 2023, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.

VULNERABLE SUPPLY LINES

When the United States first sent HIMARS launchers in June, it supplied rockets with a 77 km (48 mile) range. This was a major boost for the Ukrainian military, allowing it to destroy Russian ammunition dumps and weapons storage facilities.

Once Ukraine has the new glide bombs, say military experts, Russia will need to push its supplies even farther away.

We are currently unable to reach Russian military facilities more than 80 kilometers away, said Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musiyenko. If we can reach them practically all the way to the Russian border, or in occupied Crimea, then of course this will lower the attacking potential of Russian forces.

Crucially, Ukraine will soon be able to reach every point of the occupied overland route to Crimea via Berdiansk and Melitopol. That will force Russia to redirect its supply trucks to the Crimean bridge, which was badly damaged in an attack in October.

Russia is using Crimea as a big military base from which it sends reinforcements for its troops on the southern front, said Musiyenko. If we had a 150km (munition), we could reach that and disrupt the logistical connection with Crimea.

Beyond the logistical impact, the addition of a longer-range weapon to Ukraines arsenal could help shake Russian confidence.

Tom Karako, a weapons and security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies said that while Ukraine would benefit from an even longer range weapon, GLSDB is a really important step to give the Ukrainians longer reach and to keep the Russians guessing.

NO ATACMS - YET

For the Biden administration, the decision to send GLSDB to Ukraine represents a step toward meeting Ukraines demand for the 185-mile (297km) range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile, which the administration has so far declined to provide, fearing a further escalation of the conflict.

The glide bombs, while not as powerful, are much cheaper, smaller and easier to deploy than ATACMS, making them well suited for much of what Ukraine hopes to accomplish: disrupting Russian operations and creating a tactical advantage.

Still, said Karako, it is possible the Ukrainians could end up receiving an even longer range weapon in the future.

Time and again, weve seen the administration say that they would go up to a certain point, but not beyond, he said. Then, as the situation has deteriorated, theyve found the necessity to, in fact, go further.

This was the case with HIMARS, the Patriot missile defence system, and, just this month, Abrams tanks, all initially off-limits to Ukraine before the administration ended up approving shipments.

But for now, the focus will be on how quickly the new glide bombs can arrive in Ukraine, said Zagorodnyuk.

If they speed it up...this could hugely change the situation on the field of battle.

Two RCMP officers are accused of manslaughter in the July 2017 death of an Indigenous man in Prince George, B.C., while three of their fellow Mounties are charged with attempting to obstruct justice.

The BC Prosecution Service said in a statement Wednesday that constables Paul Ste-Marie and Jean Francois Monette have been charged with manslaughter.

Sgt. Jon Eusebio Cruz and constables Arthur Dalman and Clarence MacDonald are accused of attempting to obstruct justice.

The person who died was 35-year-old Arthur Culver, also known as Dale Culver, an Indigenous man from the Gitxsan and Wetsuweten Nations, who was arrested in Prince George on July 18, 2017.

An RCMP release from the time says police received a report about a man casing vehicles and found a suspect who tried to flee on a bicycle.

B.C.s police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office, investigated the death and issued a recommendation of charges to the prosecution service in May 2020.

LOVED ONES REACT TO CHARGES LAID

Culvers loved one said theyre pleased by the prosecution.

Im happy that its going through and its giving closure to Dales family and friends and it helps with any other cases across North America, said Johnny Lee Morris, Culvers longtime friend.

Im feeling relieved that Dales death is being noticed. And I know anybody that knows Dale knows that had (police) stopped and talked to him properly, that this wouldnt have happened, added Sylvia Jack, Culvers friend from high school.

Im glad this is bringing awareness that the RCMP do need a little more training and be better equipped with handling situations like this, she continued.

Terry Teegee, Regional Chief with the B.C. Assembly of First Nations said the charges might provide some relief and hope for loved ones.

I dont know if theyll ever find real justice but this is a good step to question and to acknowledge that there is a real problem to the policing system here in British Columbia and in Canada, he said.

“TROUBLING ALLEGATIONS” INVESTIGATED

A report from the investigations office said there was a struggle when police tried to take the man into custody, other officers were called and pepper spray was used. Officers noticed the man appeared to have trouble breathing before he died while in police custody, the report said.

Following Culvers death, the BC Civil Liberties Association said it was aware of reports from eyewitnesses that Culver “was taken forcibly to the ground by RCMP members immediately after exiting a liquor store, apparently unprovoked.”

The association said there were “troubling allegations” that RCMP members told witnesses to delete cellphone video that they had taken.

“This would provide a strong basis on which to question the accuracy of certain RCMP members statements to investigators and notes, as well as RCMP public statements,” the association wrote in a 2018 letter to the chairperson of the civilian review and complaints commission for the RCMP.

Brian Sauve, president of the National Police Federation, said in a statement that in-custody deaths are rare and tragic and the process in this case was “far from timely.”

“The investigation by the Independent Investigations Office of BC, the charge assessment by the BC Prosecution Service, and the ultimate charge approval decision by BC Crown counsel took almost six years, creating an extensive period of uncertainty for our members, Mr. Culvers family, and the community of Prince George,” he said.

“While we understand the challenges associated with insufficient funding and human resources, this delay is simply unacceptable and unfair, and British Columbians deserve better.”

He said plans to deploy body-worn cameras across Canada will help protect police and the public and provide transparency, evidence, and accountability.

“Out of respect for those involved, we ask that everyone allow the legal process to unfold in the courtroom, rather than in the media.”

The prosecution service said the charges were approved by an experienced criminal lawyer who has no prior or current connection with the officers.