Bad weather doesn’t deter fans

Freezing rain wasn’t keeping Mark Debruyn and his sons from attending the NHL Fan Fair on Friday.

“We’re a hockey family,” said Debruyn, from Nepean.

His boys, Caleb, 8, and Lucas, 5, had the day off from school and it was the first All-Star experience for the family.

“We’re going to walk around, buy a couple of souvenirs, and try out all the neat stuff,” he said.

Hundreds took part in various All-Star activities at the Ottawa Convention Centre.

Caleb Debruyn was excited about the possibility of meeting his favourite player, Senator Jason Spezza.

“I have his stick, so I’m a big fan of him,” said Caleb Debruyn.

But there were also Leafs jerseys in the house.

“You don’t change your team,” said Byward Market resident Carolyn MacMillan, proudly wearing her blue jersey.

“When I started watching hockey, there was no Senators team, so I didn’t change when they came in.”

Gary and Carter Blake from Aylmer were representing both teams.

“My son’s a Senators fan, and I’m a Leaf fan. Don’t hold that against me,” joked Gary Blake.

They were squeezing in some fun before Blake had to go to work in the afternoon.

“It’s a once in a lifetime experience for him,” said Blake, as they made their way through various skills zones.

On a different floor, Kanata resident Pam Hooper was strolling with her son and daughter.

“Well, it’s a snow day today, so what else would I do with the kids but to come here all day?,” she said.

“It’s entertaining.”

She’s got plenty of family fun planned for the weekend, including going to the game on Sunday.

Others aren’t so lucky, but were still having fun.

“I’ve never seen the Stanley Cup before, so that was nice,” said MacMillan.

@ottawasunkroche

 http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/27/bad-weather-dont-keep-fans-away

Ottawa man faces prison in Bahrain

Ottawa resident Naser Al Raas lost his appeal Monday and is facing a five-year term in Bahrain prison over the right to freedom of expression.

“The court has upheld the sentence,” his fiancee, Zainab Ahmed, told the Sun from Bahrain Wednesday.

“I’m very sad.”

Al Raas could be arrested at any time.

“He’s in hiding right now. He’s supposed to be in jail,” she said.

The 29-year-old went to a pro-democracy rally in Bahrain last March.

Shortly after, Al Raas says he was abducted from the airport then allegedly tortured underground for a month.

Three months ago, Al Raas was convicted in civilian court for “gathering” and “spreading false news.”

“I feel terrified,” Al Raas told the Sun in November.

“It means my death. I can’t take all that torture again.”

On Monday, 12 out of 13 defendants were acquitted and Al Raas is the only one facing jail time.

“We’re disappointed that he wasn’t acquitted along with everyone else,” said John Babcock, spokesman for Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy.

“We’re going to continue working through our diplomatic channels.”

Ahmed is worried about his heart and lung problems.

“I can’t let Naser go back to jail again,” she said.

“His health can’t take that again. They have to drop all the charges. It’s not fair.”

@ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/25/ottawa-man-faces-prison-in-bahrain

Cops stressed out, drinking more: Study

Cops investigating murders and sex crimes are stressed out and face heavy workloads, resulting in increased use of sick leave and higher alcohol consumption, according to a study analyzing Ottawa’s police force.

It’s also resulting in them being less loyal and less engaged in their work,

The news doesn’t come as a surprise to Ottawa police brass — they asked for the report after officers made it clear they’re feeling overburdened.

“When the investigators brought forward concerns, I think it would’ve been detrimental not to act, or not do research, or not say we’re going to look into it,” said deputy police chief Gilles Larochelle.

The Criminal Investigations Directorate Enhancement Project began in 2009 and was presented at Monday’s police services board meeting.

The OPS Role Overload study led by Dr. Linda Duxbury, a business professor at Carleton University, was conducted over a 10-month period and included focus groups, a survey, and individual interviews.

Roughly 80% of criminal investigators and managers in CID took part in the anonymous survey.

Almost two dozen recommendations have already been implemented by police, said Larochelle.

Key changes involve supervision.

“Essentially, sergeants needed to be sergeants. They assumed too much the role of an investigator, as opposed to a supervisor,” said Larochelle.

When officers are given a case, “Often, there’s that pressure you put on yourself to ensure that you succeed. So that’s why a sergeant is so important to supervise and say, ‘you’re on the right track’ or ‘you need to look at this or that,’” he said.

In addition to helping the investigators, the study also provides better quality to the victims, said Larochelle.

Providing more support is expected to eventually alleviate some of the overload on investigators.

“I can’t say we’ve seen changes immediately,” said Larochelle.

He’s expecting a turnaround in about two years.

Duxbury says the mental health of police officers and work intensification and overload is an issue for police across Canada, “because city governments are trying to do more with less and they’re trying to economize, and police services is one of their more expensive budget items, but they can’t stop policing,” she said.

At the same time, “you can’t keep pushing police officers. And the problem is, that we want a safe city but we don’t want to pay for it.”

Duxbury applauds Ottawa police for taking what she calls a leadership role in addressing the issues.

@ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/24/cops-stressed-out-drinking-more-study

Snowmobiler dies after striking river bank

An Ottawa man died late Saturday after his snowmobile struck a river bank near Quyon in Quebec’s Pontiac region.

Joseph Leafloor, 31, was driving the snowmobile and crashed while attempting a U-turn.

“It will take a couple of weeks before we find out exactly what happened, but we think alcohol and speeding was involved,” said MRC des Collines Sgt. Louis Piche.

Police were called to the scene around 9:30 p.m. and Leafloor died later in a Shawville hospital.

Family and friends were devastated to learn of his passing.

“It’s not a very good day,” said Leafloor’s business partner, Taylor MacDonald, 27.

Leafloor’s parents gave MacDonald the news over the phone. MacDonald was shaken up as he described his buddy.

“He’s known for his upbeat, bubbly personality,” said MacDonald.

“He’d bring energy into a room. He was well-liked, well-loved.”

The men worked in construction. Last July, they started a business called Solid Masonry.

“We were just taking it step by step,” said MacDonald.

Leafloor attended Algonquin College and Ecole des Metiers de la Construction de Montreal.

Police said Leafloor was alone on the machine and there were no witnesses.

Leafloor had been ice fishing with friends “and then he went from there alone with his snowmobile and then this happened,” said Piche.

The investigation continues.

@ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/22/snowmobile-dies-after-striking-river-bank

New CE Centre jams them in

The success of the city’s newest convention centre put everyone through the paces this weekend.

The CE Centre, located near the Ottawa Airport, had an estimated 7,000 people go through it Friday, the first of three days of a lululemon warehouse sale and a Home Renovations Show.

That was the good part.

The not-so-good was the traffic the events created, causing backups on Uplands Dr. all the way to Hunt Club Rd. during the morning and afternoon rush hours Friday, adding congestion to an already jam-packed east-west corridor.

CE Centre general manager Josh Zaret was on the defensive Saturday when asked whether the battered two-lane road leading to the facility is being overwhelmed.

“People were waiting about 10 minutes on Uplands, so we put our plan in place and right after that, everybody started coming on the Airport Parkway, and there were no traffic issues,” said Zaret.

The centre has 2,000 parking spaces, and overflow parking on Uplands Dr. with a shuttle bus.

The centre, boasting 220,000 sq. ft. of floor space, with four exhibit halls, meeting rooms, and banquet facilities, is touted to be a huge tourism draw for trade shows.

It’s privately owned, but leases the land from the Ottawa Airport Authority.

Zaret said he isn’t concerned about affecting traffic flow to and from the airport.

“We ran two huge events this weekend and we didn’t even have to use the overflow lot, so clearly, it’s not an issue at all,” he said.

Airport Authority spokeswoman Krista Kealey also said she has “no concern whatsoever,” about a backlog of cars.

“I went out myself (Friday),” she said. “I had smooth sailing every single time.”

Kealey said she hasn’t heard any customer complaints, and if there are any, “it’s certainly not been brought to my attention.”

But she was quick to say, “it’s certainly something that we would want to watch carefully.”

While Friday saw hardcore shoppers lining up at 3 a.m., the scene was anything but chaotic Saturday.

It took “probably 10, 15 minutes” to get in, said Carolyn Courtney from Orleans.

Courtney brought her daughter, Allison, 16, who estimates saving $100 on clothes.

They weren’t oblivious to the traffic snarls.

“I’m going to the airport three weeks from today,” said Allison. “There better not be a lululemon sale because I would miss it, and I would miss my flight, so that would just be bad.”

Next weekend will be another traffic test when the Ottawa Wedding Show sets up camp Saturday and Sunday.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/21/new-ce-centre-jams-them-in

Justin Bieber answers woman’s call for help

A Barrhaven woman has got the world’s biggest pop star to bolster her campaign for organ donation via Twitter.

“It’s awesome that he took the time to do it,” Helene Campbell said Saturday. “That’s really encouraging.”

Campbell, 20, reached out to teen heartthrob Justin Bieber on Thursday.

“Hey @justinbieber! I BELIEB you should use that Canadian voice of yours and help save lives like mine,” she tweeted around 8 a.m., with hashtags #beanorgandonor and #giveblood.

Last summer, Campbell was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis — unexplainable scarring or thickening of the lung tissue — and is currently in Toronto receiving treatment at the General Hospital awaiting a double-lung transplant.

In Ontario, that can take six months to two years, she said.

Campbell didn’t have to wait long to hear back from Bieber, who responded not once, but four times.

“He replied at 3 a.m. (Saturday),” said Campbell.

First, he re-tweeted the message, reaching 16.6 million followers, writing, “@alungstory i got the word … you have amazing strength. i got u.”

Bieber added the hashtag #BeAnOrganDonor.

But it didn’t end there.

Bieber promoted her site, writing, “help spread the word for @alungstory alungstory.ca,” then sent another tweet reminding her to “NEVER SAY NEVER,” referencing his hit song and movie.

On Saturday, Campbell wrote back, “@justinbieber you have made a huge impact, not only on my life, but for many others in need of the gift of life now and in the future!”

Within no time, he replied, “glad to be able to help. best part of what i do.”

Campbell said she’s happy Bieber is helping bring worldwide attention to a worthy cause.

“I didn’t do this for myself. I did this to help others,” said Campbell.

She attended College catholique Franco-Ouest in Bells Corners, and also worked at the Dairy Queen “for a long time.”

But now, “I can’t really do too much,” she said.

Her mother, Manon, is with her in Toronto. “It’s good to have her with me,” said Campbell.

She remains positive, and patient, about being on a waitlist for new lungs.

“My lungs kind of look like they’ve been smoking for 60 years,” Campbell said, emphasizing she has never smoked. “When it’s my time, it’s my time.”

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca

@ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/21/justin-beiber-answers-womans-call-for-help

Sledding? Protect yourself with a helmet, doc says

SEE VIDEO http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/20/sledding-protect-yourself-with-a-helmet-doc-says

Between hockey, ski and bicycle helmets, there’s no clear winner when it comes to protecting your head while tobogganing, according to a new study from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute released Friday.

The study, co-authored by CHEO neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Vassilyadi, was published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, comparing three types of helmets commonly used by children ages seven and under.

“First of all, it’s important for children to wear helmets while they’re engaging in winter sports and this is something that was identified,” said Vassilyadi.

“The other thing that was identified was that there’s not one particularly good helmet. There are helmets out there which are satisfactory.”

Last year, 21 kids were taken to the emergency department at CHEO for sledding-related injuries. Four of the injuries were serious, ranging from a skull fracture to hemorrhage in the brain, said Vassilyadi.

“The worst type of sleds are the round ones or the tubes because they rotate and as they rotate, they build up a lot of speed,” he said.

In Canada, roughly 2,000 kids are injured each year while sledding, said Harry Zarins, executive director of the Brain Injury Association of Canada.

To go down a hill without protective headgear is “like playing Russian roulette, really,” said Zarins. Yet there isn’t a certified winter recreational helmet in Canada.

The study found the hockey helmet is the most protective during lower-velocity impacts of 2-6 metres/second. The bicycle helmet fared best during high-velocity impact of 8 metres/second. Despite its warm lining, the ski helmet had limited effectiveness — something Vassilyadi calls surprising.

“I think the hockey helmet is the one I would recommend because it also has the option of a cage or a facial shield, and most of the kids we do see in emergency have facial injuries as a result of an impact to a tree, to a pole, to a fence,” said Vassilyadi, noting they often wind up with cut lips and broken noses and teeth.

Vassilyadi said he recalls one child dying from tobogganing injuries while another, with a severe head injury, needed a long stay in hospital.

“It happens because there’s a moving body that hits a stationary object, in this case, a tree, and when that happens, I guess the tree wins,” he said.

Financially speaking, “a hockey helmet is probably the least expensive,” said Zarins, adding parents should also wear helmets.

“That is the perfect way to set an example.”

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @ottawasunkroche

Common sense key to safe winter driving

SEE VIDEO http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/17/storm-warning-school-buses-cancelled

When your car is sliding across three lanes, that winter survival kit in the trunk isn’t going to be much help.

Driving experts tell the Sun mental preparedness is key year-round, but especially in wintry weather.

“A lot of people tend to panic and hit the brake in a skid and that’s very detrimental,” said Cliff Rowe, a senior driving instructor with Young Drivers of Canada in Ottawa. “If you get into a skid or a slide, you should go off your gas. Don’t hit the brake…steer into the skid.”

Tuesday’s combination of ice pellets, heavy snow and freezing rain created headaches for commuters and travellers. Dozens of flights arriving and leaving the Ottawa airport were delayed or cancelled.

But icy streets didn’t stop heavy-footed motorists. Between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., there were about 20 collisions, “which isn’t too bad, considering the weather and road conditions,” said Ottawa police Const. Henri Lanctot.

A normal day sees 60 crashes.

When the roads are slick, slowing down is a must, said Rowe.

“Take off five to 10 km/h and once again, the following distance between the vehicles, try to increase it. If it’s normally two seconds on a dry road, add one or two seconds on, or even more, depending on the conditions,” Rowe said.

Gabriel Chiujdea from Rite On Driving School recommends being aware of surroundings by using mirrors.

“Look around. Check all the time: Left, right, front, back,” he said.

Chiujdea says drivers should use headllights during the daytime.

“The newer cars, they already have the headlights on once you start the car. But the older versions, you may have to use it all the time when getting in the car, just because you’ve got to be seen,” he said, adding while it may not help oncoming drivers, those behind you have a better chance of seeing you.

During inclement weather, the safest thing to do is stay home, said CAA spokesman Korey Kennedy.

For drivers who don’t have that option, “they should be extremely vigilant/alert, well rested, sober, as well as always ensure that they wear the respective seatbelt,” said Kennedy.

He stresses the importance of cleaning snow from the entire car, especially the roof, hood, and trunk.

Failing to do so “runs the risk that it flies off and impedes the visibility of other motorists,” said Kennedy.

Lanctot echoed Kennedy’s sentiments.

“You’d be surprised by the number of motorists that don’t do that,” said Lanctot.

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca

@ottawasunkroche

Feds spend wads to combat rising rate of STIs

Sexually transmitted infections are at their highest rates since the early ’90s, and the federal government is trying to combat STIs in Canada’s youth by investing six figures in a new study.

The Canadian Sexual Health Indicators Survey is the first of its kind and will collect data from 18 to 20-year-olds across the country for a national report.

“Increasing our knowledge may allow for the creation of more effective strategies, policies and programs to promote sexual health and to prevent sexually transmitted infections,” said Public Health Agency of Canada spokeswoman Sylwia Gomes.

Since 1997, STIs have risen — especially among 15 to 24-year-olds — and chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI in Canada, followed by gonorrhea.

The majority of reported chlamydia and gonorrhea cases are among Canadians aged 15 to 29, said Gomes, with around 80% of chlamydia cases and 70% of gonorrhea cases in the 18 to 20 group.

Ottawa has the highest rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis in Ontario, according to an Ottawa Public Health report released two months ago.

In 2010, there were 2,926 cases of reportable STIs in Ottawa and 80% of them were chlamydia.

OPH is launching a campaign to dramatically increase condom distribution and use.

The average age to have sexual intercourse for the first time is between 16 and 18, according to Statistics Canada.

Collecting data on the sexual health of 18-to-20-year-olds, who are over that age, is “the first step in increasing our understanding of the factors related to increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections among youth,” said Gomes.

A call for tenders is underway to assemble an academic research team, who will survey at least 9,000 young people from coast to coast.

A pilot project was conducted from 2008 to 2010 to define and validate the survey.

The new survey follows the World Health Organization’s definition of sexual health and will include one’s physical, mental, emotional and social well-being; approaches to sexuality and relationships; access to education and services; use of contraception and barrier protection; and sexual experiences, including violence, coercion, and homophobic bullying.

“This data will provide a baseline for youth aged 18 to 20 years and an opportunity for re-surveying this age group in the future in order to evaluate programmatic and policy responses,” said Gomes.

It is expected to begin in March with a completion date of February 2014.

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca

@ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/16/feds-spend-wads-to-combat-rising-rate-of-stis

Ottawa man trapped in Congo back home

SEE VIDEO http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/01/16/ottawa-man-trapped-in-congo-back-home

Fabien Kalala Shambuyi barely made it through the international arrivals exit before he was swarmed by elated family and friends at the Ottawa Airport Monday evening.

The Ottawa man trapped in the Congo since just before Christmas was showered with hugs, kisses, and flowers.

An exhausted Shambuyi wants to “be with my family. And I’ve got my grandpa in the hospital, I want to go see him,” he said.

The 24-year-old arrived wearing a burgundy University of Ottawa football jacket and jeans.

Family members, including his mother, were on hand to greet him.

“I’m very relieved to see my son,” said a teary-eyed Marie-Therese Kapinga.

“I’m very, very happy to see him.”

Shambuyi was on his way home for Christmas when he was arrested at the Kinshasa airport Dec. 21 for insulting Congo’s president.

He was thrown in prison and after appearing in a Congo court on Jan. 10, Shambuyi was given his passport.

“You cannot imagine how precious is it, the respect of human rights in Canada,” said Shambuyi.

“Let me tell you how much I’m grateful for how the Canadian government was committed on my case to get me at least human treatment.”

Shambuyi’s older brother, Eric Kunda A. Tombe, was thrilled to see him.

“This is what we were waiting for and he’s finally here,” said Tombe.

“We thought it was crazy, he’s not going to get out of there, ’cause we come from that country. That’s the reason we’re here, because there’s no law there, there’s no peace. You get killed easily for nothing.”

Family friend Henriette Yakibonge agrees. She was one of a dozen or so supporters on hand.

“He’s our light, he’s our hope,” she said.

“When people go in Congo for something good and come back alive, it’s really something that we are happy to see.”

Tombe said the family is going to celebrate, big time.

“(Monday) it’s probably going to be a Christmas in January. That’s for sure. He missed it,” he said.

“The good thing is, his birthday it’s on Jan. 23 so it’s going to be a big party. We’re definitely going to have a big party”

Hopefully Shambuyi will be up for it.

“I’m very tired and sick a little bit,” said Shambuyi.

He said he plans to see a doctor soon.

“And when I’ll be stronger I’ll be talking to you guys.”

Twitter: @ottawasunkroche