The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed late Thursday that a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a beef cow from Alberta.
No part of the animal’s carcass entered the human food or animal feed systems, CFIA reports.
This is Canada’s first confirmed case of BSE since 2011 and was detected through the national BSE surveillance program. BSE is a progressive, fatal neurological disease in cattle.
The agency has launched an investigation and is working with provincial and industry partners. As part of the investigation, the CFIA is seeking to confirm the age of the animal, its history and how it became infected. The investigation will focus in on the feed supplied to the animal during the first year of its life. The agency will also trace out all animals of equivalent risk and have them destroyed and tested for BSE.
Canada remains a “controlled BSE risk” country as recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health and this case should not affect current exports of Canadian cattle or beef.
In 2003 a case of BSE was discovered on a farm and as a result, the countries closed their borders to Canadian beef. The Canadian cattle industry has been rebuilding ever since.
BSE is thought to spread when cattle eat feed containing protein rendered from brains and spines of infected cattle and sheep. The practice was banned in 1997 and in 2007 the CFIA tightened feed rules to help eliminate the disease in Canada within 10 years.
Category Archives: featured
Craik rallies to save health services
By Kevin Gilby
CRAIK—The Craik Saving Our Health Care task force recently announced their plans to hold two noon-hour rallies in the coming weeks to maintain and restore their health services. The first rally is schedule for Feb. 27 near the Craik Health Centre and the second on March 2, in the city of Regina on the first day the legislature is back in session.
The task force, composed of community members appointed by Craik’s Mayor and RM of Craik Reeve, have been meeting almost daily to discuss plans to secure their physician and their health centre against what they consider “the brunt ax of the bureaucrats.”
In preparation for the rallies, the group has been generating slogans for picket signs and planning the logistics to unify the voices of the community and area. The public is invited to join them and march near the Craik Health Centre to both show their support to the centre staff and physician, and to express their demands to be heard by the government and health regions.
The group has scheduled a bus to transport community and area members to Regina departing from the Craik Community Rink at 9:30 a.m. for the March 2 rally. Members of Central Butte have already agreed to join the rally in Regina.
In a Thursday news release, the task force summarized their continued concerns regarding negotiations for doctor coverage and for the support of the Craik Health Centre. The release also highlighted their plans on how to amplify their message in the following weeks.
As part of their effort, they have invited the leaders of all political parties in Saskatchewan to visit the community and health centre and meet with the community leaders.
Task force representative David Ashdown said, “We’ve invited the leaders of all four political parties to come talk to us and, in that way, we are trying to send a message that we are trying to make this an election issue.”
To read more, please see the Feb. 16 print edition of The Davidson Leader. To subscribe, email davidsonleader@sasktel.net
Winter road warriors trek across Canada
By Tara de Ryk
KENASTON—Rare is the day when a dinky Honda C90 turns the head of a Harley Davidson man.
That day came last Monday for Bill Hannah who was all agog at the sight of two of those puny rides parked at the pumps of the PetroCan station in Kenaston.
“No windscreens,” Bill exclaimed, still excited about seeing the motorcycles, which look like a cross between a moped and a Vespa scooter. He was amazed that someone would venture out for a ride on the windswept Prairie in February.
He was even more impressed after going into the PetroCan and meeting their owners Rachel Lasham and Ed March, who are in the midst of a two continent trek from Alaska to Argentina.
“I got excited. I phoned home to Erna (his wife) and told her, ‘You won’t believe what I’ve seen,’” Bill says, adding it was cold out, about minus 22.
Lasham and March are from England and a couple months ago, they shipped their Honda C90s to Anchorage, Alaska, the start of their trip south to Argentina. When they reached Vancouver, they decided to veer off their planned course and make a cross-Canada trip as well, which is how they ended up in Kenaston Feb. 9.
“I walked into the PetroCan, they are nice young kids, I talked to them and took two pictures. I can’t believe what I saw.”
Bill said he and Erna both ride Harleys and he talked to Lasham and March about motorcycling.
“Bikers always connect with other bikers,” Bill said.
Hannah admits to feeling a little soft after meeting the two Brits. Bill said he and Erna ride in the summer when the roads are dry and free of ice and snow. They also ride Harley Davidson Road Kings and likely wouldn’t want to trade nearly 1600cc of power and cruising comfort for the Honda Cub’s 90ccs of output.
Liam & Emma’s popularity continues reign
Liam and Emma continue their reign as the most popular baby names, according to eHealth Saskatchewan, who last Wednesday, released the top 20 baby names for 2014.
Liam was the most popular baby name for the fifth year in a row for baby boys and Emma was the most popular girl’s name for the last six years for babies born in Saskatchewan. The second most popular names were William and Olivia.
There were 79 baby boys named Liam in 2014, followed by William, Noah, Mason and Jacob. There were 75 baby girls named Emma, followed by Olivia, Sophia, Emily and Ava.
To date there are 15,773 live births registered in Saskatchewan in 2014, which is an increase from 15,222 births in 2013. These numbers do not include Saskatchewan mothers who gave birth outside of the province.
The 15,773 live births of 2014 is the highest since 1990, when 16,094 were registered.
The top 20 girl names, in order of popularity, were: Emma, Olivia, Sophia, Emily, Ava, Brooklyn, Avery, Sadie, Ella, Lily, Chloe, Zoey, Isabella, Abigail, Sarah, Aria, Harper, Hannah, Claire and Ellie.
The top 20 boy names, in order of popularity were: Liam, William, Noah, Mason, Jacob, Logan, Carter, Hudson, Lucas, Alexander, Jack, Jaxon, Oliver, Hunter, Luke, Lincoln, Samuel, Owen, Benjamin and Ethan.
Dr. Ola begins Davidson practice
By Kevin Gilby
DAVIDSON—Dr. Ola began her practice in Davidson on the Feb. 2 temporarily working out of the Community Services Wing of the Davidson Health Centre.
Originally from Nigeria, Dr. Ola received her medical training in Osun State, Nigeria and a Masters of Public Health from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.
The path to Davidson was not direct for Dr. Ola. She moved from Nigeria to Brampton, Ont., and then to Saskatoon before being matched to the Davidson area after the Heartland Health Region performed a detailed selection process.
“I had always envisioned settling down in a small, beautiful and nice community,” she said, adding, “it’s perfect for raising kids.”
Dr. Ola comes to Davidson with her husband, also a family physician, and their 2-year-old son. “My son was really excited about the Kindergarten section of the Davidson School and I believe he can’t wait to start,” she said.
Impressed with the recreational facilities, the churches, and the warm reception she received during her tour of the town in December, Dr. Ola is excited that “there is so much fascinating stuff going on and we do sincerely look forward to making Davidson our new home and raising our family here.”
The family intends to settle in Davidson and are looking forward to having a “patient-centred medical practice where the medical needs of the community are met in a timely fashion.”
For the next few weeks, Dr. Ola will be busy interviewing for an assistant and setting up her own practice within the Davidson Health Centre.
Suspects sought in Davidson crime
DAVIDSON—Craik RCMP are seeking information to help solve a crime that took place Dec. 18, 2014 in Davidson.
In the afternoon of Dec. 18, police report that a man and woman entered a business on the 900 block of Railway Avenue and stole several items. They fled the scene in a vehicle that is possibly a light blue or silver coloured Chrysler Sebring.
The male is described as approximately 25 years of age, Caucasian, about 5’5″ tall and has a skinny build. The female is described as about 25 years of age, Caucasian, about 5’4″ tall, with a skinny build and shoulder length dark brown hair with a purple streak in it.
If you have information about this or any other crime, contact Craik RCMP Detachment at 306-734-5200 or call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.