The Inverness Oran

Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin, Denis Cormier and MLA Derek Mombourquette at the conventionon Saturday.

-by Rankin MacDonald

                It was the Inverness County Liberals who fired the first volley in the expected upcoming byelection in the new riding of Cheticamp–Margaree–Pleasant Bay.

                Pundits are saying that the byelection will be called this spring.

                There were two candidates, Neil Poirier and Denis Cormier, seeking to carry the Liberal banner in the election and when the 70 votes were counted it was Denis Cormier who came out on top.

                Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin, Derek Mombourquette, MP Jaime Battiste, and Senator Rejean Aucoin attended the full house at the Belle Cote Community Centre.

                Neil Poirier and Denis Cormier made impassioned speeches, promising to work hard for the people and the culture of Inverness County.

                Denis Cormier is a lifelong resident of the region with deep roots in the community. He began his career working on a lobster boat as a fisherman helper before he went on to receive his teaching degree from the Nova Scotia Teachers College. Denis dedicated nearly three decades to education as a teacher and guidance counselor in the community.

                After retirement, Denis returned to the classroom as a substitute teacher with the Strait Regional School Board and currently serves as a post office assistant with Canada Post. He has also volunteered as the President of the Margaree Rivers Association since 2024.

                “I’m honoured to have earned the support of local Liberals today,” said Cormier. “This community has given so much to me and my family, and I’m ready to work hard to represent the people of Chéticamp–Margarees–Pleasant Bay and be a strong voice for them in the legislature. I truly believe Liberals are the party that will stand up for this region and fight for the investments our community deserves.”

                With Denis on the team, Liberals are ready to fight for the services and investments this region needs, and to ensure rural communities aren’t overlooked. The Houston government’s recent budget cuts to areas like culture and tourism are putting key parts of the local economy at risk. These are the sectors that sustain jobs, support small businesses, and keep the region vibrant – and they deserve stronger support, not less.

                “I’m so proud to have Denis on the team. He understands the challenges his community is facing and will be a strong voice for his community,” said Rankin. “It’s exciting to see the energy and momentum building in the riding. I look forward to welcoming Denis to the legislature as the first MLA for Chéticamp–Margarees–Pleasant Bay.”

                In his remarks, Rankin said:

                “Today is an important moment.

                “The creation of this new riding is about recognition. It’s about acknowledging the unique Acadian culture and history here – and ensuring it has a strong, dedicated voice moving forward.

                “I want to thank the independent commission for their work. These decisions aren’t easy, but they matter.

                “It wasn’t that long ago that we saw decisions made that went in the opposite direction. It was the NDP government that abolished protected ridings that ensured Acadian and other historic minority communities had proper representation in our legislature.

                “So the creation of this riding is a meaningful step forward – not just for this community, but for Acadian communities across Nova Scotia.

                “But as important as that is – the real work begins now.

                “Now, I’ll be honest. It hasn’t always been easy for our party. We’ve had tough moments. We’ve faced setbacks.

But what we’re seeing now is momentum.

                “People are paying attention again. They’re engaging again. And they’re looking for leadership that reflects their values.

                “I saw that firsthand last month in Montreal, where I had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

                “He understands the challenges facing our country, and I believe he is the right leader for this moment. C’est exactement le leadership dont le Canada a besoin en ce moment.

                “And here in Nova Scotia, I believe our party is best equipped to work with the federal government and fight for what matters most to people.

                “That means affordable and reliable power.

                “It means better cell service in communities like this one.

                “It means protecting the culture that makes us who we are.

                “It means building a strong local economy that supports industries like fishing and tourism – industries that are the backbone of communities like Cheticamp, the Margarees, and Pleasant Bay.

                “We believe in responsible financial management, not for its own sake, but so we can be there for people when it matters most.

                “We believe in fiscal responsibility so we can invest in people and communities when they need it most. That’s what we stand for. Those are our values.

                “Investments in people, in communities, and in the future of this province.

                “And that’s why today I’m so proud that we have two strong candidates ready to step up and carry that vision forward for the people of Cheticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay.

                “Today is about more than a nomination.

“It’s about the future of this riding. It’s about ensuring Acadian communities continue to have a strong voice. “And it’s about building a Nova Scotia where everyone can succeed – no matter where you live.

                “Merci beaucoup. Thank you. Allons-y!

Neal Livingston of Black River Films has begun a multi-year project following the work of Dr. Dev Sidhu and his team as they develop new tools to fight disease.

-by Beverley Phillips

                Black River Films is taking a deep dive into the cutting edge of biotechnology with a new documentary that is currently in production.

                Filmmaker Neal Livingston is following the work of Dr. Dev Sidhu, a protein engineer, and his team. Sidhu has published over 200 scientific papers, and in 2015, was the recipient of the prestigious Christian B. Anfinsen Award of the Protein Society for his significant technological achievements in protein research.

                Protein isn’t just something we put on the dinner plate; it is essential to every cell in our body and every life process. Sidhu’s work focuses on antibodies, proteins that are produced by the immune system, and remove unwanted substances, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, from the body.

                “Dev is on the cutting edge of making multifunctional synthetic antibodies,” said Livingston. “It’s a limited field in the biotech industry that is focused on making these antibodies that will cure diseases. They either stop signalling in diseases that have cell multiplication, like cancer, or restart signalling in other conditions, even aging.”

                His work has already had success in reversing macular degeneration and has a drug currently in clinical trials.

                Livingston first heard of Sidhu during the COVID-19 lockdown. Dr. Elizabeth Gould, a doctor in Halifax, posted a video of an interview with Sidhu in which he said he was 100 per cent confident he had a treatment that could save you from COVID-19. “And what interested me was,” said Livingston, “in a number of the films that I’ve made, I’ve often interviewed scientists, and I’d never heard a scientist be as confident as Dev. He had a therapy that could be manufactured and available to Canadians, in a really timely basis that was safe and effective.”

                With Livingston’s interest piqued, he looked up this Canadian researcher and discovered Sidhu has had a stellar career. From growing up on a farm in British Columbia, Sidhu went on to get his PhD in biochemistry from Simon Fraser University. He then went to California for his post-doctoral work in the Department of Protein Engineering at Genentech, a pioneer biotech company. In his research there, Sidhu developed a methodology that was key in developing Herceptin, a widely used breast cancer drug.

                Livingston got in touch with Sidhu, and they got to know each other over the last few years. “About a year ago,” said Livingston, “I started discussing with him the idea of making a documentary about him and his team. My goal in making the film is to create a greater public awareness about what’s coming in terms of disease therapy. They’re working on a wide range of therapies for degenerative diseases and different kinds of cancers, that most of us know nothing about, and have no idea that these are coming. It’s also about who's doing it, and how they’re doing it.”

                So the documentary isn’t just going to be a profile of Sidhu. “I’m both portraying the development of their work over a couple of years, this whole world of designing synthetic antibodies, and how they come out to market, and why some come onto market faster,” said Livingston.

                Livingston’s enthusiasm for Sidhu’s work and its possibilities is palpable as he talked about it.

“They’re at the absolute top of their game internationally,” he said. “The interesting thing about Sidhu’s work is that their whole thing is how do you take theoretical science, improve it, and move it into commercialization. And all of Dev’s team, you know, they need to make money. They need to get grants so they can continue to work at the level they want to work at. But they are essentially forming a new international pharmaceutical company through the work they’re doing, and one of the keystones, when you talk to them about it, is that these multifunctional antibodies be quite affordable. So, the social aspect interests them all as well. That’s why they are who they are, doing what they’re doing.”

                Sidhu told Livingston that he could probably retire from the money he’ll make with the macular degeneration drug, but he’s reinvesting it all to keep going, to make new discoveries to help more people.

                And while it will be a few years before the film is finished, Livingston is letting people see the raw interviews. “I decided, as a way of raising public awareness around the field that they work in, to post the raw interviews I’ve done so far on YouTube. I’ve never had any interest at all in posting raw interviews while making a film because you know you’re going to cut 80 or 90 per cent of each of those interviews down. But in this case, I thought, ‘This is really interesting just to hear these guys talk at length about what an antibody is, what a synthetic antibody is. How do you develop it? What does an antibody look like?’ So I thought, ‘Why not have these interviews available so people could look at them if they want to get some more information?’ And also, when I went and looked at what’s available, in terms of video material, there’s very little available on the web. There are some very high-budget programs that have been made for television about biotech, and there are a number of interviews with Nobel prize-winning people in that field. But none of them seem to be quite in the zone of explanatory information that I’m trying to work with here. There seems to be a lack of what I would call public information to understand what the field is about.”

                The first round of interviews was recorded last December. He meets up with Sidhu and his team again in June in Montreal. To see the videos currently available, check out Neal Livingston’s YouTube channel, listed under his name. To easily find the interviews, go to the interviews playlist.

Along with his many accomplishments that have earned him a berth in the Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame, Jimmy MacMaster played in two national hockey championships in 2014: one representing Tampa Bay in the USA National 60+ Senior Men’s hockey championship (gold), and then another for Alberta in the Canadian National 60+ Senior Men’s championship (bronze).

-by Bill Dunphy

                What can you say about a man who, at the age of 73, excelled in five different sports in his lifetime as a player – remains competitive in two of them – and holds records and awards in them all? Oh, and successfully coached six sports.

                Well, for starters, you can call him a hall-of-famer.

                Jim MacMaster, known locally as Jimmy Mac, will be inducted into the Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame next month.

                Born and raised in Inverness, MacMaster obtained a teaching degree at St. F.X. He taught in Inverness for several years before moving to Calgary to teach, where he raised a family with his wife Mary.

                Through it all, MacMaster remained active,  or as he put it, “If you could hit it, catch it, or throw it – I played it.”

                When contacted on Monday, MacMaster said his radar went off when Mary asked him about any old newspaper clippings he might have.

                “I didn’t know what was going on, then it was, “Okay, what’s this about?”

                With the cat out of the bag, Jim said he was humbled by the nomination.

                “It’s an incredible honour. I have been very fortunate in my life,” he said, noting that it is a multi-sport award, which is important to him.

                “Young athletes should play different sports. Playing hockey or any one sport all year long leads to burnout. Kids are so specialized today, all across the country, and the sport you used to love becomes a job after a while.”

                If, at his induction ceremony on June 6, they read all of his lifetime accomplishments, then it will be a longgg night.

                But to highlight some, you can start in 1970 when, as a 17-year-old member of the Inverness Rebels high school basketball team, they won both the Cape Breton and the Nova Scotia championships.

                He continued to play basketball at the varsity level for the St. F.X. X-Men from 1972-75. According to the many newspaper articles written, “Jim became a fan favorite during his time as an X Men. His aggressive style, both on offense and defense, made him an important piece to the X-Men over three seasons.”

                Back in Inverness, MacMaster played hockey in the Inverness Town and County Senior League and fastball in the Easter Counties Fastball League.

                Before moving to Calgary, he coached the Inverness Rebels hockey team to a provincial title.

                During his years teaching out west, he coached high school basketball, volleyball, football, track and field, hockey and umpired baseball, all the while playing hockey in the Calgary Senior Hockey League.

                Then he discovered golf.

                Along with numerous club championships (four at Le Portage alone), three Nova Scotia Retired Teachers championships, and other tournament titles, MacMaster is the only known Cape Bretoner to have won both the Nova Scotia Golf Association Senior (55+) Men’s and the NSGA Super Senior (65+) Men’s championships, doing so in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019.

                Even in retirement and spending winters in Lakeland, Florida, MacMaster was not about to retire the hockey stick.

                In 2014, representing Florida in the USA National 60+ Senior Men’s hockey championship, he and his teammates won gold. Crossing back into Canada that same year, he helped Alberta win a bronze medal at the Canadian National 60+ Senior Men’s championship.

                In 2024, he did it again with the Florida team, winning the 70+ USA National hockey championship.

                And just to add a little variety into his sporting life, MacMaster entered the Polk County Senior Games in Florida in 2018 where he placed first in the triple jump, long jump, and shot put in the 65-69 division.

                Back home in Inverness in 2021, he helped start a men’s 55+ hockey program at the Dr. Bernie MacLean Cultural and Recreation Centre, which is still taking place on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the winter.

                “We are trying not to let ‘the Old Man in’, and the best way to do that is stay active” he said at the time.

                In submitting his nomination for induction into the Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame, his son Mitchell got two of his friends and fellow retired educators to write letters of support.

                James MacLellan, who was a member of the 1981 Rebels team that won the school’s first-ever provincial A hockey title, said MacMaster was the force that guided them.

                “When I reflect upon that season I realize now how great a coach Jim was. Although young, Jim was well respected by all the team and had the ability to get the most out of each player. Without him behind the bench I doubt we would have succeeded,” wrote MacLellan.

                “As great an athlete as he is, he is an even better person. His enthusiasm for life, his leadership skills and his willingness to help others is what makes him special. In 1998 he was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. He battled his illness with the same intensity he brings to the playing field, only to have it return in 2011. Never giving up and living each day to the fullest he has been a true inspiration to everyone who knows him. During these difficult times he continued to compete at the highest level,” MacLellan added.

                Bryan Sutherland, said MacMaster truly is a special person – as an athlete, coach, builder, organizer, and person.

                Sutherland wrote: “Jim’s deep connection with sport and the benefits it endows has been his lifelong passion. He has always seen a need for physical activity in his life and always encourages others to enjoy the fruits of a physical active lifestyle. He has so generously shared his time and talent within whatever community he has resided.

                “ As a teammate in high school, university, and his adult years, as a coach and official during his working career, and as an advocate for a physically active lifestyle during his post-career years, Jim has selflessly guided and supported those within his orbit.”

                Sutherland added, “Beyond the accolades, what truly sets Jim apart is his character. He has served as a

role model for countless individuals, inspiring them with his passion, perseverance, and confidence, yet humility. Jim has entered his eighth decade and shows no signs of slowing down. I am sure he will continue to be an advocate for sport and the benefits it brings for the remainder of his yet unfinished career!”

                The induction ceremony takes place on June 6 at Sydney’s Centre 200.

                Along with MacMaster, Frank (Flash) Hollett will also be inducted as an athlete (hockey). Barry Verbeski and Brad Jacobs will go in as builders. And the 1972-73 Riverview Redmen (hockey) and the 1971-72 St. Peter’s District High boys (volleyball) will be inducted in the team category.

                “These athletes showcase the talent, dedication and love of sport that is so prevalent here in Cape Breton, putting the spotlight on their skills, their sport, and our treasured island,” said Carol Miller, chair of the Cape Breton Sport Hall of Fame Awards Committee, in a press release.

                “We need people to continue to nominate worthy individuals each year so the process can continue, allowing the documented history of sport in Cape Breton to continue to grow.”