Health Canada is recalling a series of products distributed across the country that it says were designed for consumers to inhale the nitrous oxide gas inside.

In a recall alert issued Wednesday, Health Canada said it’s recalling three unlicensed Whip-it! brand gas canisters.

The small metal pressurized tanks contain nitrous oxide — commonly known as laughing gas. Similar products are widely used in commercial kitchens to recharge reusable whipped cream dispensers that look like this:

In kitchens, the gas is used to instantly froth sweetened cream into whipped cream, but Health Canada says the Whip-it! canisters are sold for inhalation as a recreational drug.

Nitrous oxide is also used during medical or dental procedures for its sedative effects, and Health Canada says there are serious risks for those who use the gas recreationally and without medical supervision.

In a public advisory earlier this year, Health Canada said the gas can cause euphoria and relaxation, but has serious potential side effects, including loss of consciousness, anemia, impaired bowel and bladder function, heart problems, asphyxiation, blood clots and nerve damage.

“Repeated use increases the likelihood of severe outcomes and may result in lasting neurological damage, even after stopping use. Regular use can also lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms,” Health Canada says.

The federal government says the gas has various street names, “such as ‘whippets,’ ‘hippy crack,’ ‘NOS’ and ‘nang.’”

It’s illegal to advertise and sell nitrous oxide products for inhalation, but Health Canada says it’s aware that some are being sold online and in retail stores — with some even featuring flavoured gas, which is not permitted.

Health Canada said the recalled Whip-it! canisters were sold by a Calgary, Alberta-based company KDK Distributors, which appears to also sell cannabis smoking accessories.

Chris Fahlman, who is accused of manslaughter in connection with the death of 44-year-old Tanya Myers, made his second court appearance on Tuesday.

Myers was a passenger in one of two vehicles that were struck by bullets while travelling on Highway 39 near Weyburn on Sept. 12.

Police say Fahlman, 42, was arrested in Regina on Nov. 1, following a seven week-long investigation.

Fahlman is charged with manslaughter with a firearm, careless use of a firearm, carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence and occupying a motor vehicle knowing there is a firearm inside.

He made his first appearance in Regina Provincial Court on Nov. 3. His next provincial court appearance will be at a bail hearing this Thursday at 2 p.m.

The Saskatchewan Realtors Association confirmed that Fahlman was a business partner with the organization and has since had his contract terminated due to the charges.

At this time, the RCMP do not believe there are any additional suspects. However, the investigation into Myers’ death is still considered ongoing.

One of Saskatchewan’s own bands is going on yet another cross-Canada tour with three stops in their home province.

The Sheepdogs will return to familiar territory during their upcoming “Out All Night Tour” next April. The Juno Award-winning band will play the Coors Event Centre in Saskatoon on April 18, the Anne Portnuff Theatre in Yorkton on April 19 and the Casino Regina Show Lounge in Regina on April 25.

Hailing from Saskatoon, the Sheepdogs style can be described as a blend of Southern rock, blues modern rock & roll revival. The band, consisting of singer/guitarist Ewan Currie, bassist Ryan Gullen, drummer Sam Corbett, guitarist Rick Paquette and Shamus Currie on keyboard and trombone, emerged in 2004 and found mainstream success in 2010 with the release of their platinum-selling third LP “Learn and Burn.”

The group’s discography consists of Trying to Grow (2007), The Sheepdogs’ Big Stand (2008), Learn & Burn (2010), The Sheepdogs (2012), Future Nostalgia (2015), Changing Colours (2018) and Outta Sight (2022).

The band has been nominated for 11 Juno Awards, winning four.

A teen boy has been charged in connection to a fatal collision involving a pedestrian in La Loche, Sask.

RCMP say officers received a report from EMS Oct. 31 about a collision on Washington Avenue.

Police say a 58-year-old man from La Loche was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. His family has been notified.

The suspect vehicle fled the scene, police say.

Following an investigation, the boy from the La Loche detachment area was arrested and charged with failure to remain at the scene of an accident causing death.

The youth, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is scheduled to appear in La Loche provincial court Dec. 29.

Pressure continues to mount on the Saskatchewan government to launch a public inquiry into the Denare Beach fire, with calls for the public safety minister to resign if he fails to do so.

On Wednesday, Harley Vliegenthart, one of 11 Denare Beach volunteer firefighters who stayed back to fight the Wolf fire, joined the Saskatchewan NDP at the legislature to demand answers and accountability.

Speaking to reporters following legislative assembly, Vliegenthart explained that the situation on the ground was much worse than what the government painted it to be.

Vliegenthart said he was there on June 2 when the flames came through Denare Beach, noting that there were minimal resources to save the community.

“I’ve seen videos of people jumping into pickup trucks and running for their lives, fighting that fire. Someone was asleep at the wheel, and it never got through to who it needed to get through that this was a fire they never seen before,” he added.

“Resources weren’t getting sent up and it was a failure through and through; a maelstrom of confusion, chaos, incompetence.”

Vliegenthart said he wants to see a public inquiry to restore confidence in the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), provide closure to those forced to leave their homes, and provide reassurance that the response to something like this will be better next time.

During question period, NDP MLA Jordan McPhail called on Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod to answer why more wasn’t done to help the firefighters at Denare Beach.

McLeod took the opportunity to thank Vliegenthart and the hundreds of men and women who fought the wildfires across northern Saskatchewan.

“We had multiple provinces providing resources and forest firefighters. We had other countries providing forest firefighters. Those brave men women fought an unprecedented fire season, and we owe them a debt of gratitude, and we thank them for their hard work and their brave service,” he said.

McPhail said he feels the minister refuses to face the fact that those resources were not on the front lines in Denare Beach when Vliegenthart and others needed them.

“The fact is that Harley felt abandoned by the Sask. Party government. He has lost faith in the people on that side of the house to do their jobs. He wants answers. Frankly, he deserves those answers, as do thousands of my other constituents of mine who lost so much this summer,” he said.

“If the public safety minister won’t call it an independent public inquiry, then he should lose his job.”

McLeod maintained that Denare Beach was defended by far more than what McPhail claimed.

“On May 19, the Wolf fire was reported 32 kilometres west of Denare Beach. Immediately, the SPSA, within a day, responded with two air tankers, helicopters and ground crews. That forest fire grew between May 21 and May 23 127 times its original size,” he said.

“I’ll tell you what I won’t do and what I won’t do is exploit a tragedy for political gain,” he continued. “I will provide the facts to the individuals who suffered incredible loss this summer.”

McLeod said the SPSA has commissioned a report to lead an independent review of the 2025 wildfire season.

“These results will be made public. This independent review will be led by experts, and it will obtain information from the forest firefighters who are on the ground, from the communities that were impacted, and from experts in the area, to make sure that best practice is followed, and anything that can be done better in the future will be done,” he said.

“We will adopt those recommendations to make sure that we are ensuring best practice moving forward.”

While he awaits a public inquiry into one of the largest wildfires in Saskatchewan, Vliegenthart said those from Denare Beach are still struggling with housing and mental health issues.

“People have been struggling, fighting with insurance and anything else. We got temporary housing units that cost way too much for a lot of people living. I mean, nobody’s abandoning our town because we’re not weak. We’re strong people. But it’s, it’s tough. It’s tough for everybody,” he said.

A Saskatchewan cancer patient has taken his fight for free hospital parking all the way to the legislature.

Dennis Ogordnick believes he should be fighting his cancer and not the government.

“Let’s eliminate all parking,” he told reporters on Monday. “B.C. has eliminated paid parking at hospitals. Quebec has never had it. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick have recently eliminated paid parking at their hospitals as well.”

Cancer patients were provided free parking when Ogrodnick began treatment in Prince Albert a couple years ago. The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) withdrew the free parking part-way through his treatment.

“And all of a sudden it was eliminated and I’m thinking who in their right mind that has any integrity, any empathy would say let’s target cancer patients,” Ogrodnick added.

The provincial government say parking fees go toward lot maintenance costs and front-line health care.

“The revenue that comes in through parking for the Saskatchewan Health Authority, about half of that is the cost of running the parking infrastructure in the province and the other half goes right back into the Saskatchewan Health Authority operating budget which again goes directly onto patient care,” health minister Jeremy Cockrill said on Monday.

The NDP opposition is asking the government to reconsider.

“We didn’t hear any change from the government. Really disappointing to see Saskatchewan cancer patients should not be paying for parking,” NDP MLA Jared Clarke said.

SHA parking fees can vary between facilities. It’s even free in some smaller centres. The health authority has said it is currently considering a standard parking policy.

A Regina driver is facing charges following a collision with a pedestrian on Monday evening.

Officers were called to the 1800 block of Cameron Street around 7 p.m. for a report of an impaired driver, according to a release from the Regina Police Service (RPS).

A second call came while officers were en route, advising them that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle near Athol Street and 8th Avenue, police said.

EMS took the victim to hospital with minor injuries, but the driver of the vehicle did not remain at the scene.

Around 7:20 p.m., officers found the suspect vehicle near Elphinstone Street and 13th Avenue. Police performed a traffic stop and the driver was arrested, with further investigation revealing the same vehicle was involved with the pedestrian collision.

A 40-year-old man has been charged with impaired operation of a conveyance by alcohol, exceeding 80 mg of alcohol within two hours of operating a conveyance, and failure to stop after an accident.

He will make is first court appearance on these charges on Nov.19.

A death investigation that began over the weekend is now being investigated as a homicide, according to Regina police.

Regina police are asking residents near the 1000 block of 12th Avenue to check their properties for a gun that may have been disposed of in the area.

“Due to the potential public safety risk, the RPS is asking area residents to check all areas around their property including, but not limited to, eavestroughs, shrubs, under decks and inside any unsecured sheds or garages,” Regina police said in an update Tuesday afternoon.

The area of focus for investigators is currently Saskatchewan Drive to Victoria Avenue and Montreal Street to Wallace Street.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, shortly before 1 a.m., police in Regina were dispatched to a home on the 1000 block of 12th Avenue. Once they arrived, officers found a 19-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound.

Paramedics at the scene declared the man dead shortly after their arrival. Personnel from the Regina Police Service’s major crimes and forensic identification were then called to the scene.

In an update Monday night, the police service announced that investigators had determined the man’s death was the result of homicide. The victim’s name will not be released at the request of his family.

The investigation is ongoing.

🎉 Update Completed Successfully! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that our scheduled network update has been completed without any issues! 🚀 All our broadcast stations, streams, and websites are now fully operational and running better than ever.

What’s New?

Here’s what you can expect from this update:
✅ Improved Audio Player – No more interruptions or cutting off! Enjoy seamless streaming on our websites.
✅ Enhanced Stream Stability – Our radio streams are now more reliable than ever.
✅ Upgraded Security & Quality – Improved protection and enhanced broadcast quality for an unmatched listening experience.

Fully Operational Services:

🎵 Stations:

• Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
• 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
• 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

🌐 Websites:

• EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
• EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
• DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/

Experiencing Issues?

While everything is running smoothly on our end, we’re here to help if you encounter any issues. If you’re having trouble with our broadcasts or websites, please report the issue to us immediately so we can address it.

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Thank you for your patience and understanding during this process. We’re committed to providing you with the best listening experience possible and appreciate your support!

🎧 Happy Listening!
The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team

We’re committed to providing our audience with a listening experience like no other! To maintain this standard, we’re excited to announce a major update to our Broadcast Network.

What’s New?

This update will bring:

• A Better Audio Player: Improved performance on our websites to resolve issues with streams cutting off.
• Enhanced Session Operations: Ensuring error-free radio streams.
• Upgraded Security & Quality: Improved protection and overall broadcast quality.

Downtime Details:

• Expected Downtime: 1 hour (we’ve allocated up to 4 hours for any unforeseen circumstances).
• Impacted Services:
  • Live Broadcasts & Website Access for these stations:
    • Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
    • 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
    • 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
    • Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/
  • Websites:
    • EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
    • EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
    • DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/
  • Third-Party Apps: Any apps relying on our live broadcasts will also be affected.

Commitment to Excellence:
During the downtime, our team will work diligently to complete the update and monitor the network to ensure peak performance. We’re committed to enhancing your listening experience to the highest standards.

Stay Updated:
Follow us on Facebook or check our websites for real-time updates:

• EVO Media Corporation: https://www.facebook.com/EVOMediaCorporation/
• Z103.5: https://www.facebook.com/YourPartyStationZ103.5
• 979 The Cowboy: https://www.facebook.com/979thecowboy/
• 101 The Rockhound: https://www.facebook.com/101TheRockhound/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093402861183

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our services.

Thank you for your continued support,

The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team