Dead birds found at Suncor oilsands tailings ponds sites

Jets bench boss Arniel talks rebuilding from last season’s struggles

Scott Arniel has a lot on his plate these days.

But the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets took some time Thursday to sit down with Free Press hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe to discuss a number of topics on the eve of a new hockey season. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Wiebe: What was the evaluation of last season like? What did you personally do in an attempt to improve after going from first-overall to 26th-overall?

I just went back and looked at things and made sure my communication was where it needed to be with my players. Was my communication where it needed to be with my boss, with my general manager (Kevin Cheveldayoff)? How our coaching staff worked. How we handled highs and lows. Things I felt I could have done better.

Today’s horoscope

MOON ALERT: Caution! Avoid shopping (except food and gas) and important decisions until after 3:30 p.m. today. After that, the moon moves from Gemini into Cancer.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

This is a creative day for you. Because you’re the artisan of the zodiac, tap into your talents and make some art or explore one of your many hobbies. However, avoid intense discussions with partners, spouses and friends. Keep things light.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

As political jockeying begins, don’t forget job No. 1

The goal, for all parties in a democracy, is to make the best legislation and bring in the strongest policy forward for voters and citizens.

Dynacare workers provide essential services that must be maintained during strike, labour board rules

The Manitoba Labour Board has ruled Dynacare workers are essential employees and their services must be maintained during a labour dispute.

Transit, roads and city council’s priorities

Did any of you happen to notice that the week of Sept. 14 marked an interesting confluence of events in Winnipeg? First up was the mayoral debate on public transit. Second was an announcement that the city would be undertaking a survey to determine whether their citizens’ “transportation needs” are being met.

The debate on our public bus system, from which our current Mayor Scott Gillingham was tellingly absent, focused primarily on safety rather than the efficiency of the system.

Which, on one level, is no great surprise.

After all unlawful incidents on buses and at transit stops have increased by 280 per cent compared to levels recorded around 2016. Moreover, the candidates were primarily speaking to the bus drivers’ union that organized the event, and bus drivers are often the victims of violent episodes.

Dead birds found at Suncor tailings pond sites

CALGARY - The Alberta Energy Regulator says a total of 32 dead waterfowl have been found at two separate oilsands tailings ponds operated by Suncor Energy Inc.

The regulator says Suncor reported 27 dead birds — including 7 grebe, a sensitive bird species — at the Syncrude Mildred Lake Settling Basin, a tailings pond located on the north side of the Mildred Lake oilsands site.

The other five birds, all grebe, were found at the Millennium Mine site tailings pond at Suncor's Base Plant north of Fort McMurray, Alta.

All the birds were found between the dates of May 8 and May 13.