If you’ve purchased pistachios in Saskatchewan lately, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is encouraging you to check after possible salmonella contamination to some products.

A recall warning was originally issued on Nov. 28, affecting six products that were distributed in Saskatchewan. They consist of:

Brand: Carole’s Cheesecake Company

• XL Pistachio cheesecake 2 count
• Pistachio cheesecake 4 kg (8 x 500 g)

Brand: Desi-licious

• Faluda Fest Kulfi - Indian Style Ice Cream 6 x 60 mL
• Malai Masti Kulfi - Indian Style Ice Cream 6 x 60 mL
• Pista Passion Kulfi - Indian Style Ice Cream 6 x 60 mL

The Carole’s Cheesecake Company were listed as being sold to hotels, restaurants, institutions and retail centres, while the other listed products were only described as being distributed to B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec.

A full list of the affected products can be found here.

As part of an ongoing effort to curb contamination, the CFIA has temporarily banned the import of pistachios and pistachio-containing products from Iran.

As of Dec. 2, It is now mandatory for all federally licensed importers and manufacturers that have Iranian pistachios that were imported prior to Sept. 27, to hold and test them for Salmonella before they can be sold in Canada.

The Saskatchewan NDP is proposing new legislation that would require the government to publicly notify people when a rural emergency room (ER) has no doctor on staff.

During a press conference on Wednesday, NDP MLAs Keith Jorgenson and Meara Conway gave details about Bill 610, also known as The Provincial Health Authority (ER Virtual Physician right-to-know) Amendment Act.

The bill would require that when an ER is only open with a virtual physician, the public has a right to know that protocol is in place so they can decide on whether to travel there.

“I think it’s extraordinary that we need to introduce legislation for what should be common sense for a government that’s been in power for 18 years, that people need to know when a hospital in ER has no doctor on staff. Rural folk have the right to know,” Jorgenson said.

Jorgenson said it’s important to remind people that communities in rural Saskatchewan don’t usually have a hospital and are required to travel.

“They’re having to make a decision in the case of emergency about what direction they’re driving in, and they need to know if the hospital that they’re driving towards has a doctor that is able to help them, given the emergency that they have on that day,” he said.

While Jorgenson said virtual care does have a place in primary medicine, people have a right to know whether the hospital they’re going to has a doctor on site, comparing it to the Highway Hotline.

“If people can visit the Highway Hotline and see in real time a snowplow moving down the highway then they should be able to see in real time if an ‘open’ rural ER has a doctor,” he said.

At the conference, Conway said according to the Canadian Institute for Health and Information, only 10 per cent of ER visits in Saskatchewan can be safely dealt with through virtual care.

“People rightly expect that when they turn up at the ER, they will see a doctor in person. The virtual physician program was meant to be a temporary fix, but it’s now been added to over 20 communities, and we don’t know of a single one that has stopped the program after putting it in place,” she said.

“It’s not a viable long-term strategy for strengthening our health care system and it could even pose a danger for people.”

In the coming months, Conway said they will be consulting with the public on an initiative to try to find solutions.

The bill was introduced by Jorgenson and read for the first time during legislative assembly on Wednesday, with the second reading expected during the next sitting.

An officer with Moose Jaw RCMP who was criminally charged following an on-duty incident will appear in court in the new year.

Cst. Steven Sharpen made his first appearance in Moose Jaw Provincial Court Wednesday morning.

However, proceedings were adjourned to Jan. 14, 2026.

Sharpen was initially charged with one count of break and enter and committing assault.

The charge was related to an on-duty incident that occurred on Jan. 13, 2025.

Moose Jaw RCMP officers attended a residence in the Moose Jaw area as part of an ongoing investigation. It’s alleged that during an interaction with someone at the residence, Sharpen unlawfully entered the residence.

An altercation followed between Sharpen and a man inside the home.

The following day, the man involved in the altercation reported a complaint with Moose Jaw RCMP. He did not report any physical injuries to police.

The incident was reported to Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT). However, the police watchdog organization determined the incident was outside the scope of its mandate.

An investigation was launched by Saskatchewan RCMP and the results were sent to the Crown for their assessment on Feb. 13.

Later, in October, the Crown recommended criminal charges against Sharpen.

He was arrested on Oct. 29.

On Tuesday evening, a valuable piece of the North Central neighbourhood was lost after the community fridge went up in flames.

“Honestly, I was shocked about it,” said Noelle Seidlikoski, who is one of the volunteers who runs the fridge. “I was shocked and saddened just simply because there are a lot of people who use this resource in the community.”

The fridge was about to hit its fifth-year anniversary.

Many grocery stores and residents contribute to the fridge. Just down Dewdney Ave, Indigenous Christian Fellowship is a big supplier of the fridge.

“There always seems to be food coming there, and there always seems to be people just waiting there for the food,” said Joe Elkerton, the executive director at the ICF. “You can see them sitting by the curb or nearby waiting to see what comes or what’s being unloaded that day.”

Moving from Toronto in July, Elkerton has been impressed with Regina’s willingness to give, especially to those who are homeless.

“I don’t recall ever seeing anything like this there [in Toronto],” he said. “So it seemed like a unique thing to happen in Regina and it was interesting that people would just kind of leave stuff out. It was kind of almost an honour system.”

This is not the only time that a community fridge has been set on fire, however, as the fridge in the Cathedral area also burned in September of 2024.

“It’s such a valuable kind of tool in the neighbourhood to get food into people’s hands and for people who maybe don’t generally go to food banks. It’s this expectation of you just to survive for a couple more days.”

Currently, there’s only one reported community fridges left in the city, with the Heritage Community Fridge located on 12th avenue.

“Obviously our hope is always to take this loss and stay strong and keep moving forward. I mean, there’s a lot of people that rely on the support,” said Seidlikoski.

Seidlikoski said they’ll look to rebuild another fridge in the same spot.

The Regina Fire Department says the cause of the burn is unknown and the fire is still under investigation.

 A doctor who pleaded guilty to selling ketamine to Matthew Perry was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison on Wednesday at an emotional hearing over the “Friends” star’s overdose death.

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence that included two years of probation and a US$5,600 fine to 44-year-old Dr. Salvador Plasencia in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles.

The judge emphasized that Plasencia didn’t provide the ketamine that killed Perry, but told him, “You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction.”

“You exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for your own profit,” she said.

Plasencia was led from the courtroom in handcuffs as his mother cried in the audience. He might have arranged a date to surrender, but his lawyers said he was prepared to do it today.

Perry’s family describes their grief

Perry’s mother, stepmother and two half sisters gave tearful victim impact statements before the sentencing.

“My brother’s death turned my world upside down,” sister Madeline Morrison said, crying. “It punched a crater in my life. His absence is everywhere.”

She talked about the broad effect of losing him.

“The world mourns my brother. He was everyone’s favorite friend,” Morrison said, adding “celebrities are not plastic dolls that you can take advantage of. They’re people. They’re human beings with families.”

Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit.

Who’s responsible for Perry’s death

Plasencia was the first person sentenced of the five defendants who have pleaded guilty in connection with Perry’s death at age 54 in 2023.

The doctor admitted to taking advantage of Perry, knowing he was a struggling addict. Plasencia texted another doctor that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.

Prosecutors had asked for three years in prison, while the defence sought just a day in prison plus probation.

Perry’s mother talked about the things he overcame in life and the strength he showed.

“I used to think he couldn’t die,” Suzanne Perry said as her husband, “Dateline” journalist Keith Morrison, stood at the podium with her.

“You called him a `moron,” she said, addressing Plasencia. “There is nothing moronic about that man. He was even a successful drug addict.”

She spoke eloquently and apologized for rambling before getting tearful at the end, saying, “this was a bad thing you did!”

Plasencia apologizes to Perry’s family

Plasencia also spoke, moments after Suzanne Perry, breaking into tears as he imagined the day he would have to tell his now 2-year-old son “about the time I didn’t protect another mother’s son. It hurts me so much. I can’t believe I’m here.”

He apologized directly to Perry’s family. “I should have protected him,” he said.

Perry had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally as a treatment for depression. But when his regular doctor wouldn’t provide it in the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia.

Plasencia’s lawyers tried to give a sympathetic portrait of him as a man who rose out of poverty to become a doctor beloved by his patients.

His mother stood to speak after Perry’s mother had spoken, but the judge told her it wasn’t appropriate for this hearing.

Outside the courthouse after, Luz Plasencia told reporters, “I’m sorry to the family of Matthew Perry.”

“I’m feeling what they feel,” she said. Speaking about her son, she said, “I know his heart.”

Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distribution of ketamine. He did not plead to causing Perry’s death, and the amount he distributed was relatively small given that he sold only to Perry.

The judge said she largely agreed with a probation report suggesting the appropriate sentence was between eight and 14 months, but she went well beyond that.

“I think the judge was very well-reasoned,” Keith Morrison told reporters.

At the start of the hearing, she said that family impact statements may not be appropriate because legally, “there is no identifiable victim in this case. The victim is the public.”

But Plasencia’s lawyers said they didn’t object to family members speaking.

A doctor or a drug dealer?

The defence sought to cast Plasencia as a doctor treating a patient who was overcome by recklessness and greed.

“It was a perfect storm of bad decision-making, everybody agrees,” attorney Karen Goldstein said, adding “absolutely his judgment was clouded by money.”

Prosecutors said he was never acting as a doctor.

“He wasn’t a negligent or reckless medical provider,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello said. “He was a drug dealer in a white coat.”

Garnett generally agreed, pushing back against the defence argument that Perry was Plasencia’s patient, and that the doctor had diagnosed him in a phone call they had before the sales began.

“Mr. Plasencia kept pushing it,” the judge said. He literally was offering to sell ketamine.

When another defence attorney, asked “Is your honour confused about how this all went down?” Garnett replied, sternly, “No I’m not.”

The other four defendants who reached deals to plead guilty will be sentenced at their own hearings in the coming months. Garnett said she would seek to make sure all the sentences made sense in relation to one another.

The federal government is in the process of sending letters with information on its planned early retirement program to almost 70,000 employees as it works to reduce the size of the public service.

Mohammad Kamal, director of communications for the Office of the President of the Treasury Board, said letters are being sent to roughly 68,000 public servants who may be eligible for the program.

Ottawa is looking to cut the number of public service jobs by about 40,000 from a peak of 368,000 positions in 2023-24. About 10,000 jobs were eliminated over the past year.

The government is trying to boost the rate of attrition and avoid cuts to younger workers by offering a voluntary program allowing workers to retire earlier without incurring a pension penalty.

A digital copy of the letter, shared with The Canadian Press, said public servants are not required to take action at this time.

It also said the program will be available only to certain employees who apply to participate under parameters set by the Treasury Board.

“These parameters would be designed to maintain essential services and business continuity,” the letter said.

“As such, acceptance of an employee’s application to participate would not be guaranteed.”

The budget said the government intends to implement the one-year early retirement program as early as January, though Kamal said legislation is still required to move the plan forward.

The letter said the application window would be within 120 days of Jan. 15, 2026, or 120 days from the date the legislation comes into force, whichever is later. It also said employees whose applications are accepted would be required to retire within 300 days.

The letter said further details about the program’s requirements and timelines, and how employees can express interest, will be released.

Kamal did not answer a question about whether government departments and agencies will be announcing any job cuts before the government gauges employees’ interest in the program.

Instead, Kamal said workforce reductions will be managed to the greatest extent possible through attrition and voluntary departures. He also said departments are working to reassign employees where possible.

Kamal said anybody who is eligible for the early retirement program will get the letter.

Public Service Alliance of Canada national president Sharon DeSousa told reporters last month she doesn’t expect to see many members sign up for the early retirement incentive, given the high cost of living.

In a statement Wednesday, DeSousa said the government hasn’t shared the full details of the program and that taking the early retirement incentive could mean giving up a lump-sum payment based on years of service.

“That’s real money owed to workers under the collective agreement that this government seems to be trying to bypass,” she said.

DeSousa said the union supports efforts to prevent layoffs and that PSAC urges its members to consider their options and talk to their union representatives before making any decision about early retirement.

She said any early departure program “must be negotiated with the union, because no one should be pressured into giving up hard-fought rights.”

“We are pushing the government to meet with us and release the full details so we can properly assess what this means for workers,” DeSousa said. “Let’s be clear: any involuntary layoff falls under our collective agreement, and we will enforce those protections.”

The budget said the early retirement program would be sourced from the Public Service Pension Fund.

“It’s all well and good to protect the jobs of younger people, but they are the ones who, throughout their careers, will pay half the cost of the program through their contributions to the pension plan,” said Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees.

“In the same vein, the government is using civil servants’ money as if it were its own, which sounds like borderline theft.”

Prier said the union isn’t against a voluntary departure program but action should be taken after “consultation and thoughtful process.”

The European Union says Canada will need to pay 10 million euros -- the equivalent of C$16 million -- to join a defence procurement agreement with the continent, a price tag that is raising questions about how much investment the pact will generate.

Canada this week officially joined the $245 billion Security Action for Europe program, SAFE. It’s part of the ReArm Europe initiative to make the continent less reliant on American defence technology and funding.

Defence Minister David McGuinty announced Monday the deal had been finalized but was circumspect when asked how much Canada would need to pay, telling reporters on Parliament Hill that “we’ll have more to say about that in due course.”

EU spokesman Thomas Regnier revealed the fee during a press briefing Tuesday in Brussels

“Canada will have to start to pay a one-off contribution of 10 million to the EU budget, and this will then be reassessed,” he said.

Global Affairs Canada later confirmed this figure in a Wednesday statement.

“Canada will pay a 2.5 million euro upfront administrative contribution and 7.5 million euro upfront annual participation contribution. An agreement in principle has been reached, but technical discussions continue in order to finalize treaty text,” wrote department spokesman John Babcock.

He wrote that the deal “supports all partners in improving defence readiness and fosters growth in our respective defence industries.”

In Brussels, Regnier said Tuesday the fee paid by Canada or any other country is based on the scale of “potential contracts that (each) third country industry will get.”

“There is a correction mechanism, so this will be reassessed in light of the amounts of contracts that the Canadian industry will get from its participation into SAFE,” Regnier said.

“We are following the same methodology for all potential third-country agreements that we’re negotiating under SAFE.”

The EU has asked the U.K. to pay between 4 and 6.5 billion euros, several times the size of Canada’s fee.

Universite du Quebec a Montreal professor Justin Massie wrote on the social media platform X that the much smaller Canadian fee raises questions about how much investment the deal will bring to Canada.

“Given that the entry costs are based on the expected benefits a third-party will derive from access to the EU instrument, we should temper our expectations,” he wrote.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand would not say Wednesday whether that’s an accurate way of understanding the numbers. In a phone call from Brussels, she said there’s enthusiasm in Europe over Canada’s defence technology and industrial capacity.

“Everyone I spoke with was very excited to have Canadian companies be on the same footing as European companies, in order to compete for procurement contracts here,” she said.

“The SAFE agreement brings Canada into the tent in a very positive way for the domestic Canadian economy.”

Regnier also said Tuesday the EU has a separate agreement with Ottawa that allows Europeans to buy products directly from Canada’s defence industry if at least one-fifth of the components in the goods come from the European Union.

Yorkton RCMP are asking the public for help locating 15-year-old Jeremiah Lafond, reported missing on Nov. 27. He was last seen around 1 p.m. on 7th Avenue North in Yorkton.

Jeremiah is five feet eleven inches, 120 pounds, with medium-length brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red sweater, black sweatpants and white Air Force One sneakers.

He is known to travel to Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, Loon Lake, and Meadow Lake.

Anyone with information on Jeremiah’s whereabouts is asked to contact Yorkton RCMP at 310-RCMP. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

🎉 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