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‘I had a goal, and I set out to do it’: Yorkton, Sask., man walks across Canada — just because

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It was mid-February when Zayell Johnston splashed water from the Pacific Ocean on his face in Victoria, B.C. and  set off on a long and often torturous nine-month trek across Canada.

The Yorkton, Sask., man, 27, would earn the nickname « Gump » from friends and strangers — in honour of the fictional movie hero Forrest Gump — as he logged 11.5 million steps on his Fitbit, trudging through snow, hail and rain in his push to fulfil a personal goal.

That’s right. He walked 9,000 kilometres across Canada just because he wanted to.

« I’m just a normal, everyday dude, » Johnson said. « I had a goal, and I set out to do it. »

Most people who walk, run or bike across Canada do so to raise money for charity or awareness of an issue. But for Johnson, it was a personal journey.

He recorded videos along the way and gave the trip the title: « Just out for a walk ».

Peace of mind

It all started seven years ago, Johnston recalls, when he graduated from high school and drafted a five-year « to do » list to keep moving forward in life. The list included finishing college, getting a job, backpacking across Europe, developing six-pack abs and walking across Canada.

« I don’t know how I got the crazy notion of walking across the country, but I didn’t want drive across it, » Johnson said. « At the end of the day, you can never see Canada in one go. All of Canada — I think it’s impossible, there’s too much. » 

Zayell Johnston averaged 50 kilometres a day on his walk across Canada.

Before his succesful trek Johnston wasn’t having much luck checking things off of his personal list. He did spend two months backpacking in Europe, but was struggling in other parts of his life. After losing his job in Vancouver, he returned home to Yorkton and set his sights on completing a cross-Canada journey.

Why am I putting myself in this situation? Why am I torturing myself?– Questions asked of himself by cross-Canada trekker Zayell Johnston

« At the beginning of the journey, you could say I was running away to kind of to reflect on where I was at in life, » Johnson told CBC News.

He posted a picture of a highway on Facebook with the caption: « Oh travel be kind, I’m searching for some peace of mind. »

As with all trekkers, he knew the contents of his backpack would be vitally important. It weighed about 20 kilograms and included a tent, a sleeping bag, camp stove, long johns, two pairs of underwear and wool socks. He carried a GPS so his mother could track his movements.

He officially started his walk at Mile 0 of Trans Canada Highway in Victoria, which is also home to a statue of Terry Fox, whose attempt to across Canada on one-leg to raise money for cancer research made him a national hero. 

9,000 kilometres

Johnston had only walked for a couple weeks before hitting blizzard conditions on the Coquihalla Highway in the B.C. Interior. He spent a month working at a ski hill, then mailed his winter jacket home to his mother and kept heading east.

When he was pummeled by rain near Revelstoke, B.C., he did some serious introspection: « Why am I putting myself in this situation? Why am I torturing myself? » Johnston says he asked himself. « Like, nobody cares that you’re doing this. You don’t have to walk through this. »

But again, he had set a goal and was determined to achieve it. 

Zayell Johnston celebrates the end of his journey at Cape Spear, N.L, the easternmost point in Canada. ‘No words can describe this moment and no camera could truly capture how I felt.’ (Facebook/Zayell Johnston)

Over the next seven months, he soldiered through physical exhaustion and loneliness as he averaged 50 kilometres a day.

He wore out four pairs of shoes and choked down countless protein bars and peanuts. He also developed a deep love and respect for wool socks. 

Kindness of strangers

Johnston had a budget of $7,000 for equipment and necessities, but rarely used it for motels or restaurants. He pitched a tent in fields and private areas, and couch surfed at the homes of friends and strangers.  At times, he went a couple weeks without a shower or laundry.

That, he notes, is what made the kindness of strangers so remarkable at times.

« You can imagine what I smelled like in the middle of the summer, » he said. « But there were people scattered throughout northern Ontario who offered me a place to stay, and it was definitely appreciated because of the summer heat there. » 

Zayell Johnston pitched a tent in fields and private spots as he walked across Canada, and rarely paid for a motel or campground. (Facebook/Zayell Johnston)

Johnston crossed the country, a step at a time, with only two tiny « cheats » when he felt he had no choice but to accept a ride.  One was near the B.C.- Alberta border when a forest ranger told him they were doing avalanche control with explosives. The ranger forbade Johnson from walking through the area, but offered him a 10-minute ride to other side of the blast zone. The second ride was from a stranger outside Winnipeg. 

« I was walking through torrential downpours and hail for about 10 minutes, » Johnson said, when a truck pulled over, its  driver insistent on giving Johnston a ride to an underpass two kilometres away, where he could hide out from the rain.

Pinnacle moment

When Johnston reached Thunder Bay, Ont., he pitched his tent near the monument that marks where medical issues force Terry Fox was forced to stop his cross-Canada run. Johnston says he was deeply moved by Fox’s words etched into stone:

« I just wish people would realise that anything is possible if you try. Dreams are made if people try. »

In mid-November, just before sunrise, Johnston stepped onto a cliff’s edge at Cape Spear, N.L., the easternmost point in Canada, for what he calls his « pinnacle moment. » He was 30 pounds lighter than when he started, his face covered with a long beard. Chilly winds slapped his face as he hoisted his backpack into the air and let out a triumphant yell. 

« It was surreal, » Johnson said. « That moment was so brief, but the hard work took so long to get there. I wish those moments would last a little longer, but that’s just the beauty of it. The end. The payout. »

Johnston splashed his face with water from the Atlantic Ocean and recorded the final instalment for his video diary. 

He wrote this caption: « No words can describe this moment and no camera could truly capture how I felt. » 

Johnston had set up a Gofundme campaign to help cover expenses, but it only raised $620 and he didn’t need most of it. So at the end of his trip, he divvied it up and sent cheques for roughly $50 to the Canadian Mental Health Association branch in all 10 provinces.

Now that Johnston can check his cross-Canada walk off his list, he says he can move on to other goals, such as paying off his student loan, becoming a forest firefighter, and the continuing quest for those elusive washboard abs. 

Zayell Johnson logged 11.5 million steps on his Fitbit during his nine-month trek. (Facebook/Zayell Johnson)

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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