Safety concerns remain a recurring issue in hospitals across Saskatchewan, according to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses.

One of the latest incidents occurred outside Regina General Hospital, where two men were arrested and reportedly found with guns and other weapons. The union says it’s just one of many incidents reported by nurses across the province this year.

“In our recent survey this fall, nearly 70 per cent of SUN members reported experiencing violence in their workplace within the past 12 months. That’s more than two-thirds of nurses in this province,” said SUN president Bryce Boynton.

Boynton said the findings are based on a survey of more than 1,800 union members, adding the union’s office receives daily reports from nurses about unsafe working conditions and violence.

“It’s an ongoing discussion that’s been happening for years, long before I even became a nurse,” he said. “Violence has been occurring, and it’s only continuing to get worse.”

Over the past year, nurses have filed 118 reports where violence and safety were identified as workplace issues.

SUN is calling on the Saskatchewan Health Authority to implement several measures, including installing metal detectors at public entrances, adding security cameras, increasing on-site security, ensuring patients are searched before entering emergency departments, and allowing nurses to flag patient charts for prior incidents involving weapons or violence.

Boynton said more than half of SUN members surveyed are considering leaving the province or the profession, while another quarter are eligible to retire immediately.

“If we continue to do nothing and allow violence to persist, we’re making it very easy for people to make that decision,” he said.

Boynton added that a comprehensive violence-prevention strategy is needed from the province and the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

In a statement to CTV News, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said it met with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses on Tuesday to discuss concerns and ideas, describing the conversation as part of a collaborative approach to improving safety and security in hospitals.

Elders at the Paul Dojack Youth Centre claim they were dismissed from their positions after bringing forward complaints a facility employee breached sacred Indigenous ceremony protocols.

The Paul Dojack Youth Centre (PDYC) is a juvenile detention facility operated by the province in northwest Regina.

Melanie Fisher and Calvin Pelletier say they started working as elders at the centre in August. They led smudges, sweats and other traditional practices and teachings as a way to reconnect Indigenous boys to their culture.

“Our ceremonies are not performances, they are sacred,” Fisher told reporters Thursday. “They hold spiritual weight and responsibility. When our cultural protocols are violated, it affects not only the elders, it affects the youth, the spirits that we call upon and the entire community.”

“Before we start our cultural ways, we always smudge first,” Pelletier added. “At Paul Dojack, they didn’t want us to smudge. I was told they didn’t like the smell of burning sage or sweetgrass.”

The elders say a staff member at the facility participated in a sacred ceremony during a cultural camp while menstruating, something which is a serious breach of traditional practices.

“Women are very powerful when they’re on their time, and it affects our medicines from working,” Fisher said. “Because our protocol was broken, people suffered, and I can’t stress that enough.”

Fisher also claims staff threw out moose meat meant for a meal.

According to documents provided to CTV News by Fisher and Pelletier, PDYC conducted an internal review of the incident.

“Our investigation revealed some of our staff members lacked adequate knowledge and understanding of specific Indigenous ceremonial practices,” facility director Dan Elberg told Fisher in an email in November.

The investigation also said the employee: “Showed significant remorse for breaching cultural protocol during the incident.”

No disciplinary action was taken against them, something the elders felt did not address their concerns.

“I would like culture [training] to be mandatory for all employees,” Fisher said. “They don’t have to believe; they don’t have to practice them. I jut want them to understand what these boys have been through.”

In response to CTV News, the Ministry of Community Safety (formerly the Ministry of Policing, Corrections and Public Safety) said; “[It] remains committed to cultural awareness and learning within PDYC and other facilities. Providing education on cultural protocols to all employees is a priority and the ministry continues to review our policies to ensure best practices.”

“The ministry is actively working to ensure Elder support is available for the continuity for youth and staff,” the statement added.

“We recognize further work is needed to strengthen staff education and ensure consistent respectful engagement with sacred practices,” Elberg wrote in his email to Fisher in November. “We acknowledge the significance of these protocols and are committed to taking steps to uphold them with the respect they deserve.”

According to the provided documents, both Fisher and Pelletier were terminated without cause.

After bringing forward the concerns, they were notified Dec. 5 of their termination and were told not to return to the centre for work but, in accordance with their contracts, would be paid their regular salary until Jan. 3, 2026.

Fisher and Pelletier would like to a third-party review to take place.

“We are not asking the same people who silenced us to access their own behaviours,” she said. “We are calling for independent eyes outside of this broken structure.”

The ministry would not comment on specific issues or details related to contracted work or personal matters, such as employee’s personal information.

Two people were found dead at Los Angeles home owned by director-actor Rob Reiner on Sunday, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.

The official could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The Los Angeles Fire Department says it responded to a medical aid request Sunday afternoon and found a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman dead inside.

Reiner was long one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, and his work includes some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s and ’90s, including “This is Spinal Tap,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Princess Bride.”

His role as Meathead in the 1970s TV classic “All in the Family” alongside Carol O’Connor’s Archie Bunker catapulted him to fame.

He turned 78 in March, although authorities have not confirmed the identies of the people found dead in Reiner’s home.

Messages to his representatives were not immediately returned Sunday night.

Promoters of Canadian English say the federal government is sending the wrong message to the world with its recent use of British spelling in official documents.

In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, five linguistics experts and an editors association representative say the simplest way to keep national elbows up is to get Canadian style down on the page.

The Dec. 11 letter, shared with The Canadian Press, notes the use of British spelling — such as utilisation, globalisation, catalyse (instead of utilization, globalization and catalyze) — in documents including the 2025 federal budget.

Canadian spelling is used widely and fairly consistently in Canada — in book and magazine publishing, in newspapers and other media, and in the federal and provincial governments and their legislatures, the letter says.

“If governments start to use other systems for spelling, this could lead to confusion about which spelling is Canadian.”

In addition, Canadian spelling is a vital element of the country’s unique identity, the letter writers say.

The letter was signed by linguistics professors J.K. Chambers, Sandra Clarke, Stefan Dollinger and Sali Tagliamonte, Canadian English Dictionary editor-in-chief John Chew and Editors Canada president Kaitlin Littlechild.

They ask the Prime Minister’s Office, the Canadian government and Parliament to stick to Canadian English spelling, “which is the spelling they consistently used from the 1970s to 2025.”

The Prime Minister’s Office did not provide a response to a CP request for comment on the letter.

Spelling is one aspect of Standard Canadian English, a distinctive national variety of English recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary, the letter says.

“Canadian English evolved through Loyalist settlement after the American Revolutionary War, subsequent waves of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish immigration, and from European and global contexts.

“Today, it reflects global influences and cultures from around the world represented in our population, as well as containing words and phrases from Indigenous languages.”

Standard Canadian English is unique among the varieties of English around the world because it is historically influenced by its geographic proximity to the U.S. but has features distinctive from U.S. English and U.K. English, the letter adds.

Many Canadians are passionate about spelling words “Canadian” — but there are many opinions on what exactly is Canadian, the letter writers acknowledge.

“That’s because the Canadian style has been to borrow from both Britain and the United States.”

Canadians sometimes opt for a spelling that may have originated in the United States — or more accurately, North America, the letter says. “For other words we follow the British style.”

However, in some cases, Canadian style never embraces the British variant (tyre for tire, gaol for jail), while on others it avoids the American version (check for cheque, maneuver for manoeuvre).

“Canadian English evolved here and represents a unique aspect of our culture. It is part of our history and identity,” the letter says.

“Canadian English spelling must continue to be used in all communications and publications in the federal government. It’s a matter of our national history, identity and pride. These days, it’s the simplest way to take an ‘elbows up’ stance.”

Environment Canada has issued a cold warning for much of central and southern Saskatchewan on Friday.

The yellow alert signals very cold temperatures with wind chill values nearing –40 C under the agency’s new colour-coded system.

The extreme cold is expected to persist into Saturday before temperatures begin to moderate on Sunday.

Residents are urged to dress in layers and avoid going outdoors without proper clothing.

“The outer layer should be wind resistant. Cover up. Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill. If it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Environment Canada says the average minimum temperature for Saskatoon on Dec. 12 is –18.7 C.

The coldest temperature recorded on that date, not including wind chill, was –40.6 C in 1940.

The City of Moose Jaw has decided on a 6.95 per cent mill rate increase for its 2026 budget, several per cent lower than its initial proposal.

City council passed its budget during its meeting on Thursday, rejecting the initial proposal of a 9.04 per cent hike.

The revised 6.95 per cent increase will cost most taxpayers around $139.70 annually or $11.64 a month.

The approval comes after a series of special council meetings to discuss the budget.

According to the budget documents, overall expenditures increased by just over $5 million as compared to the 2025 budget.

The City’s “Protection to Persons and Property” area also increased by $2.231 million, primarily due to the police services budget.

Additionally, the City noted that its “Public Works” area is seeing an increase of $1.170 million, mainly due to salaries, equipment, and contractual services.

A Regina man is facing two charges after an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a youth in the city.

Craig Salkeld, 64, of Regina, faces one count of sexual interference and one count of sexual assault on a person under the age of 16.

He was arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 9 and made his first appearance in Regina Provincial Court on Wednesday Dec. 10.

The charges stemmed from an incident in July of 2025.

Regina police are investigating after a man was shot in the North Central neighbourhood.

Officers were called to the scene of an ongoing altercation on the 800 block of Rae Street at around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11.

Once officers arrived at the scene, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to hospital by paramedics. As of Friday afternoon, he was in stable condition.

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.

📧 Contact Us:

If you have having any issues please reach out to us on our websites!

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