TRAGEDY ON THE PRAIRIES: THE HUMBOLDT CREDITS BRONCOS BUS CRASH News in Review is produced by CBC NEWS and curio.ca Video duration – 16:09 GUIDE Writer/Editor: Sean Dolan In April 2018, 16 people died and 13 others were Additional editing: Michaël Elbaz injured in a bus crash at a rural intersection in VIDEO . The bus was carrying the Humboldt Host: Michael Serapio Broncos junior hockey team when it collided with a Senior Producer: Jordanna Lake Packaging Producer: Marie-Hélène Savard semi-trailer. Most of the dead and injured were Associate Producer: Francine Laprotte teenagers. The crash prompted an outpouring of sympathy from people across the country, including Supervising Manager: Laraine Bone hockey leagues, celebrities and the prime minister. Visit www.curio.ca/newsinreview for an archive of all previous News In We look back on the tragic events of that day and Review seasons. As a companion resource, go to www.cbc.ca/news what has happened since. for additional articles. CBC authorizes reproduction of material contained in this guide for educational purposes. Please identify source.

News In Review is distributed by: curio.ca | CBC Media Solutions

© 2018 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation VIDEO REVIEW

curio.ca/newsinreview / 3 BEFORE VIEWING

1. How often do you travel on a school bus, city bus or coach? Why do you travel on a bus? What tends to be your destination? Do you enjoy the experience? 2. Keep you experience of bus travel in mind as you view the video. How does the story arouse feelings of empathy or understanding within you?

WHILE VIEWING

1. What does Art Lalonde think might have helped to prevent the deadly collision at the intersection in Saskatchewan? a) Traffic lights b) Lower speed limit c) Bigger stop sign d) Rumble strips

2. A GoFundMe campaign was launched and raised more than $15 million for the families of the victims. TRUE or FALSE?

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 4 3. Why will Kelsey Fiddler play an important role in the bus tragedy investigation? a) Because she witnessed the crash b) Because she was the first on the scene to help c) Because she was travelling behind the bus d) Because she was travelling behind the truck

4. Days after the crash, the coroner came to the realization that he had misidentified one of the victims and had to tell one family that their son was actually alive and another family that their son had passed away. TRUE or FALSE?

5. It took the RCMP more than a year to file charges against the driver of the truck involved in the collision. TRUE or FALSE?

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 5 TALK NEW PROMPTS

curio.ca/newsinreview / 6 TALK PROMPT #1 Consider pausing the video and giving students the opportunity to talk to an elbow partner for a few minutes or use these questions as part of a class discussion.

Pause the video after Olivia Stefanovich signs off from the first story, @ 00:00 – 02:17

1. How affected were you by the devastation of the crash?

2. Are there any dangerous intersections in your community?

3. What can be done to improve traffic safety in your community?

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 7 TALK PROMPT #2

Pause the video after Susan Ormiston signs off from the second story, @ 02:18 – 05:35

1. How did the people of Humboldt respond to the crash?

2. How were they feeling?

3. What did they want to see happen after the crash?

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 8 TALK PROMPT #3 Pause the video after Olivia Stefanovich signs off from the third story, @ 05:36 to 08:23 1. Why is Kelsey Fiddler an unsung hero of the Humboldt tragedy? 2. What did she do that showed compassion and caring in the aftermath of the crash?

TALK PROMPT #4 Pause the video after Susan Ormiston signs off from the fourth story , @ 08:24 to 10:56 1. How did the people of Humboldt express their grief in the aftermath of the crash? 2. What stories struck you as the most impactful?

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 9 TALK PROMPT #5

Pause the video after Olivia Stefanovich signs off from the fifth story, @ 10:57 to 13:19

1. How did the people of Allan, Saskatchewan, and Stony Plain, Alberta, remember Logan Schatz and Parker Tobin?

2. What impact do you think the two players had on their communities?

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 10 TALK PROMPT #6

Play the video through to the end and consider the following questions as a class, @ 13:20 to end

1. Why was it important to the victims’ families that charges be laid in connection with the crash?

2. Why do some people feel sorry for the semi-truck driver?

Scott Thomas, father of crash victim Evan Thomas

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 11 AFTER VIEWING In early July 2018, semi-truck driver Jaskirat 3. Truck drivers are involved in about 20 per Singh Sidhu was charged with 16 counts of cent of collisions on Canada’s roads every dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing year. Many industry observers say that death and 13 counts of dangerous operation of drivers are often undertrained, overworked a motor vehicle causing bodily injury in relation and, generally, in poor health after to the Humboldt crash. spending hours on the road. What do you think needs to be done to ensure that 1. Why do you think it was important for the Canadian truck drivers are better prepared survivors of the tragedy to see that charges to operate safely on the nation’s roadways? were laid?

2. The accident happened in April and charges

weren’t laid until July. Why do you think it took authorities so long to charge Jaskirat Singh Sidhu?

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 12 Whether it was the unimaginable devastation of the crash, the youth of the victims, the comradery of members of a team or just plain compassion, the nation shared Humboldt’s grief. THE STORY The Humboldt Broncos were truck driver was psyching themselves up for able to walk away. their next playoff game against Photos from the the in the crash scene showed Saskatchewan Junior Hockey the truck’s load League’s semi-final. Their bus strewn across the was heading north toward road and the bus, Nipawin on Highway 35 when so torn apart that it many people on board the bus a semi-truck crossed its path. was virtually unrecognizable. had died and, as the media The ensuing collision was News reports spread rapidly shared pictures of the team devastating. Sixteen people on — first locally, then nationally, (one showing the entire team board the bus died and the then internationally — with with their hair dyed blonde in remaining thirteen were one central theme: tragedy. It their uniforms, smiles on all of seriously injured. The semi- was clear from the start that their faces), a collective feeling

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 14 of shock spread across hockey games. Meanwhile, wore Humboldt green ribbons Saskatchewan, throughout the players gave back to the for the balance of the playoffs. Canada and around the world. community, volunteering One television reporter took when possible and respecting to Twitter and encouraged And the shock was quickly their status as a source of people to leave hockey sticks followed by sadness, grief and pride for the people of on their front porch, posting a mourning. The Humboldt Humboldt. picture of a hockey stick and Broncos story captured the the caption, “Leaving it on the hearts of Canadians. A small Whether it was the front porch tonight. The boys town of under 6 000, unimaginable devastation of might need it… wherever they Humboldt, Saskatchewan, the crash, the youth of the are.” Thousands of Canadians embraced everything about victims, the comradery of followed the reporter’s lead. their hockey team. Local members of a team or just Meanwhile a GoFundMe businesses sold Broncos’ swag, plain compassion, the nation campaign, initially started to restaurants offered the shared Humboldt’s grief. NHL raise money for the victims’ players discounted food, and teams stood vigil at centre ice families to pay for things like the town shut down for the day after the crash and

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 15 hospital parking, exploded to a Community Hero Award on The Humboldt Broncos took to $15 million total that now her late husband’s behalf the ice in August 2018 in requires a board of trustees while 10 Humboldt Broncos preparation for the next hockey and the supervision of the looked on. season. New head coach Saskatchewan court system to told the media, The Humboldt tragedy will make sure the money is “Right now, this is about a team likely continue to resonate distributed properly. Finally, moving forward, but there’s with Canadians for years to the NHL flew the survivors of definitely a lot of things in the come. There’s something works to honour last year’s the crash who were able to about young lives lost and the team and the people we lost.” travel as well as the widow of game of hockey that pulls on Broncos coach Darcy Haugan the heart strings of people to Las Vegas for the NHL from coast to coast to coast. Awards. Christina Haugan accepted the Willie O’Ree

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 16 TO CONSIDER Why do you think the Humboldt bus tragedy has resonated so much with Canadians? Explain your answer in 7-10 sentences.

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 17 ACTIVITY: How tragedy can bring out the best in people A few weeks after the tragic • The local Humboldt florist staff bus crash involving the was overwhelmed by killed in Humboldt Broncos, a Canadian requests from all over the the crash. Press headline announced: world to send flowers to Employees “It’s all about the Broncos”: those affected. of the restaurant Kindness everywhere after bus • A local hotel offered free chain came from the next crash kills 16 rooms to family members town over to fill in while of the victims who needed people dealt with their The article by Bill Graveland to travel and stay in shock and grief. went on to describe the Humboldt. A local business turned outpouring of generosity that • over the proceeds of t-shirt followed the tragedy: • A local restaurant sales (over $300 000!) to A GoFundMe campaign immediately gave time off • the Humboldt Strong raised $15 million for the to employees who knew Community Foundation. victims and their families. the players, coaches and

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 18 • The NHL flew 10 survivors It’s your turn! Be prepared to explain the of the crash (three were Sometimes the only thing that appeal of that story to your not well enough to travel) people can do in the wake of a classmates. Your teacher may and Christina Haugan, the tragedy is to initiate good want you to post the good widow of Broncos coach deeds. Conduct a simple deeds you found on a class Darcy Haugan, to Las Vegas Google search of good deeds Padlet (www.padlet.com). for the NHL Awards in an with a search query like: effort to honour the Reflection “good deeds after tragedy” survivors and grant Haugan How do tragic situations bring a prestigious community Compile a list of five good out the best in people? service award. deeds that people have taken part in after tragic situations.

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 19 ACTIVITY: Attention seeking or provocative?

THE TWEET Loreto felt compelled to share Montreal-based journalist Nora Loreto drew a the tweet as she watched a massive amount of (mostly negative) attention GoFundMe campaign climb into two days after the Humboldt bus tragedy when the millions of dollars in the immediate she tweeted: aftermath of the crash. I’m trying to not get cynical about what is a THE REACTION totally devastating tragedy but the maleness, The reaction to her tweet was swift. Defenders the youthfulness and the whiteness of the of the killed and injured saw her statement as a victims are, of course, playing a significant role. pointless distraction that interfered with a nation’s overwhelming sorrow in the face of a Later she wrote: terrible tragedy. Many of her media colleagues I want justice and more for so many other criticized her timing — wondering what would grieving parents and communities. compel her to make a comment like that so soon after the crash.

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 20 The Toronto Sun’s Adrienne Batra wrote: “…it’s not wrong to wish others could be mourned and cherished like these players. It’s If you want to address institutionalized racism, not wrong to wish our compassion were more fair enough, that’s a legitimate discussion. universal. Our humanity shines when we But gratuitously smearing the members of the acknowledge other people’s tragedies and Humboldt Broncos hockey team to do it? pain. Our sympathy and support can help That’s just appalling. change the world.” It must be exhausting to be so angry and aggrieved all of the time. The Twitterverse also heaped a mountain of criticism on Loreto — and much of it was To say nothing of pathetic. vitriolic. While some forthrightly and Meanwhile, the Toronto Star’s Judith Timson thoughtfully told her she was out of line in her said that Loreto’s tweet was “insensitive, ill- comments, others threatened her with death timed and just plain wrong.” However, she also and rape. Many of her critics wrote aggressive, added: sexually charged and derogatory tweets, casting mindless aspersions on who they

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 21 think she is as a person. These attacks The word vitriol refers to cruel, nasty and bitter prompted many of Loreto’s media colleagues to criticism. Why was some of the criticism aimed at come to her defence, noting that, despite her Nora Loreto considered vitriolic? provocative Twitter comment, she didn’t deserve to be attacked the way she was REFLECTION attacked. What do you think? Did Loreto’s tweet Perhaps it would have been better for Loreto to constitute a grab at attention or provide a have given people more time to grieve before provocative discussion point about who we she took to Twitter. Some feel she should not choose to grieve? have made the comments at all, claiming that Please answer the question in a 200-300 word there is a time and place for social justice reflection. commentary and that two days after a horrendous tragedy is clearly not it.

Tragedy on the Prairies: The Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash curio.ca/newsinreview / 22 SOURCES

Batra, Adrienne. (April 11, 2018). Social justice warrior misses the boat on Humboldt. Toronto Sun. Retrieved from: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/batra-social-justice-warrior-misses-the-boat-on-humboldt. Campbell, Meagan. (April 7, 2018). How the Humboldt Broncos bus crash changes a hockey town. Maclean’s. Retrieved from: www.macleans.ca/news/canada/its-not-about-the-hockey-anymore-how-the-humboldt-bronco-bus-crash-changes-a-hockey-town/. Graveland, Bill. (April 15, 2018). ‘It's all about the Broncos:’ Kindness everywhere after bus crash kills 16. The Canadian Press. Rollmann, Hans. (April 13, 2018). Humboldt Broncos, Nora Loreto, and the difficult questions that come with grief. The Independent (Newfoundland and Labrador). Timson, Judith. (April 12, 2018). Why do certain tragedies, like Humboldt, resonate? Toronto Star. Retrieved from: www.thestar.com/life/opinion/2018/04/10/why-do-certain-tragedies-like-humboldt-resonate.html.

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