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As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit Washington

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok.

The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday.

But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill.

Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform.

In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled.

The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment.

TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment.

The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses.

The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities.

TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled.

But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal.

A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews.

Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique.

Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence.

JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children.

Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity.

Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok.

“I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said.

But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials.

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AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report.

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This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille.

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January 2, 2025
“Get a Trainer” – Joe Rogan Blasts Bill Gates’ Unhealthy Lifestyle on JRE With Marc Andreessen

We all recognize Bill Gates for his signature look—casual T-shirts, spectacles, and the brilliant mind that shaped Microsoft. But in a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the UFC color commentator entertained a fun and unexpected thought experiment– What if Bill Gates had a chiseled six-pack like that of bodybuilders and MMA fighters?

Of course, with his intense schedule as a billionaire philanthropist, it’s easy to see why Gates isn’t sporting a six-pack. Between managing his businesses, philanthropic work, and public appearances, maintaining that kind of physique might not be at the top of his priorities. Still, the imagery of the tech mogul as a muscular powerhouse is hard to forget!

Joe Rogan states his wish for Bill Gates

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In a recent conversation with Marc Andreessen on Joe Rogan Experience #2234, Joe Rogan playfully suggested that Bill Gates should hit the gym and “get jacked.” Rogan was commenting on Gates’ influence on public health and his philanthropic efforts through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The idea came up while discussing Gates’ busy schedule and lifestyle, which includes a breakfast of Cocoa Puffs—or sometimes, no breakfast at all, according to his ex-wife Melinda Gates.

Rogan joked, “Bill Gates should get jacked. He’s got a lot of money. He should get a trainer.” Andreessen added that an improved physique could serve Gates well, especially when he’s out promoting his work, such as his books or global health initiatives. Rogan took the banter a step further, saying, “If Bill Gates has a six-pack, I’d listen to him.”

The lighthearted remark added some fun to their discussion, which also touched on the fitness habits of other billionaires. For instance, Elon Musk has been known to skip breakfast and prefers tasty food over strict diets, even declaring in 2020, “I’d rather eat tasty food and live a shorter life.” Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos follows a more disciplined fitness regime. Rogan, however, was all in on the idea of Gates embracing fitness with the same gusto he applies to his philanthropic work.

via Imago

Following the release of the clip, the conversation quickly went viral on X, sparking a flood of hilarious edits and comments about Gates’ physique. Interestingly, Rogan has expressed concerns about Gates’ health and advice on several occasions, often taking jabs at the billionaire’s health choices.

As a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a fitness enthusiast, Rogan is no stranger to health discussions. In JRE episode #1784, he criticized Gates for his stance on plant-based diets, pointing out the irony in Gates owning the largest amount of farmland in the U.S. while advocating for reduced meat consumption. Rogan didn’t hold back, saying, “He keeps saying we gotta eat less meat, and we gotta cut the consumption of meat to be healthy, and then we’re gonna get used to these meat alternatives.”

Rogan went on to take a dig at Gates’ physique, saying, “And by the way, you look like sh*t. A guy like that telling people about how he’s got these breasts, this gut… You’re one of the richest guys on earth, you have access to the best nutrients, and you’re giving out health advice while you’re sick. What the f*** are you talking about?”

In contrast, Rogan has praised Jeff Bezos for his fitness regimen as he commented, “Jeff Bezos, that’s how you are supposed to live when you’re a billionaire. You’re supposed to get jacked, have a bombshell girlfriend, and a baller yacht.” While Rogan has been vocal about Gates’ health advice and views on meat, the latest episode also touched on broader topics, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s initiatives to address healthcare issues in the U.S. under the Trump administration.

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Rogan reacts to RFK Jr.’s health initiative

In their recent discussion, Joe Rogan and Marc Andreessen delved deep into U.S. politics, particularly focusing on the country’s declining food habits and healthcare system. Their conversation eventually turned to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to reform healthcare, a topic that has sparked much debate. Andreessen, a vocal Trump supporter who has donated $2.5 million to the pro-Trump Right for America PAC, expressed enthusiasm over RFK Jr.’s involvement in healthcare reform, suggesting that his leadership could bring significant change.

He also addressed the issue of poor food quality in America, acknowledging that while people are aware of the problem, little has been done to address it. Rogan, in agreement, emphasized the importance of societal energy and well-being, saying, “Everybody likes to have more energy, you know. And we could promote that as a society. This RFK Jr. appointment is a really big step in that direction that we’ve never had before.”

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However, the duo also discussed the challenges surrounding RFK Jr.’s views on healthcare. The former lawyer has made waves for his stance against certain established practices in medicine, which has stirred controversy among scientists and the public. Rogan voiced concerns that RFK Jr.’s unconventional views might face significant pushback, potentially causing delays in healthcare progress and even financial burdens.

Given the declining health indicators in the U.S., such as the drop in life expectancy reported by the CDC, these discussions are timely. According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), life expectancy in the U.S. declined nearly a year from 2020 to 2021. What do you think? Will these new approaches help address the nation’s healthcare challenges and improve overall health? Share your thoughts below!

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December 6, 2024
Bill to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales faces heated parliamentary debate

LONDON — British lawmakers are expected to vote Friday on a law proposed to help terminally ill adults end their lives.

The contentious bill would allow adults expected to have fewer than six months to live to request and be provided with help to end their life, subject to safeguards and protections.

Members of Parliament (MPs), who have been holding emotional meetings with constituents and searching their souls, are due to debate the issue that crosses political lines.

Supporters say the law would provide dignity to the dying and prevent unnecessary suffering. Opponents say it would put vulnerable people at risk, fearing that some would be coerced to end their lives and that some elderly or disabled people may opt for death so they don’t become a burden.

A vote in favor of the bill would send it to another round of hearings. A vote against it would kill it.

Here’s a look at what’s in the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and the next steps:

The House of Commons hasn’t debated an assisted dying bill since 2015 when a similar measure failed.

Debate is scheduled for five hours and more than 150 members have reportedly signed up to speak. It is expected to be followed by a close vote.

Although the current bill was proposed by a member of the ruling center-left Labour Party, it is an open vote with no pressure from the government on supporting it.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has previously supported assisted dying, said the government will remain neutral and he wouldn’t reveal how he would vote. Some members of his cabinet have said they will support the bill, while others are against it.

Former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, along with three former Conservative prime ministers — Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Theresa May — have publicly opposed the bill, though they are no longer in the House of Commons and can’t vote. Former Tory Prime Minister David Cameron supports it.

If the bill passes the first stage in the House of Commons, it will face further scrutiny and votes in both Houses of Parliament.

If ultimately approved, any new law is unlikely to come into effect within the next two to three years, supporters say.

Under the proposed legislation, only those over 18 years old in England and Wales and who are expected to die within six months can request assisted dying. They must have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and will be required to make two separate declarations about their wish to die.

Labour lawmaker Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the bill, said the law has robust safeguards built in and contains “three layers of scrutiny” — two independent doctors and a High Court judge will have to sign off on any decision.

Anyone found guilty of pressuring, coercing or dishonestly getting someone to make a declaration that they wish to die will face up to 14 years in prison.

Assisted suicide is currently banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Someone who helps a person end their life can be prosecuted and face up to 14 years in prison.

The patient must self-administer the life-ending medication. No doctor or anyone else can give the medication.

No health professional is under any obligation to provide assistance to the patient.

Doctors who do take part would have to be satisfied the person making their declaration to die has done so voluntarily. They also must ensure the person is making an informed choice.

One argument supporting the bill is that wealthy individuals can travel to Switzerland, which allows foreigners to go there to legally end their lives, while others have to face possible prosecution for helping their loves ones to die.

Esther Rantzen, 84, a broadcaster dying of lung cancer, has urged passage of the bill so others don’t have to do what she plans to do by traveling to Switzerland to legally end her life. She urged all 650 MPs to attend the hearing.

“This is such a vital life and death issue, one that we the public care desperately about,” Rantzen said in a public letter. “It is only right that as many MPs as possible listen to the arguments for and against, and make up your own minds, according to your own conscience, your personal thoughts and feelings.”

Other countries that have legalized assisted suicide include Australia, Belgium, Canada and parts of the United States, with regulations on who is eligible varying by jurisdiction.

Assisted suicide is different from euthanasia, allowed in the Netherlands and Canada, which involves healthcare practitioners administering a lethal injection at the patient’s request in specific circumstances.

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November 28, 2024
Australia’s House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law.

The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.

The legislation passed 102 votes in favor to 13 against. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.

Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses. The platforms also could not demand digital identification through a government system.

“Will it be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it’s not. But if it helps, even if it helps in just the smallest of ways, it will make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Tehan told Parliament.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the Senate would debate the bill later Wednesday. The major parties’ support all but guarantees the legislation will pass in the Senate, where no party holds a majority of seats.

Lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation during debate on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Criticisms include that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children.

Critics also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encountered and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer.

Independent lawmaker Zoe Daniel said the legislation would “make zero difference to the harms that are inherent to social media.”

“The true object of this legislation is not to make social media safe by design, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” Daniel told Parliament.

“There is a reason why the government parades this legislation as world-leading, that’s because no other country wants to do it,” she added.

T he platforms had asked for the vote on legislation to be delayed until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how the ban could been enforced.

Melbourne resident Wayne Holdsworth, whose 17-year-old son Mac took his own life last year after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the bill as “absolutely essential for the safety of our children.”

“It’s not the only thing that we need to do to protect them because education is the key, but to provide some immediate support for our children and parents to be able to manage this, it’s a great step,” the 65-year-old online safety campaigner told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

“And in my opinion, it’s the greatest time in our country’s history,” he added, referring to the pending legal reform.

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November 27, 2024
NJ Bill Moves to Ban Betting on Individial Accomplishments of College Athletes

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TRENTON, N.J. — A proposed amendment to New Jersey’s sports wagering laws would ban betting on player-specific proposition bets in collegiate sports, a move aimed at safeguarding the integrity of amateur athletics and curbing harassment of student-athletes.

The legislation, introduced in the state assembly, seeks to prevent licensed operators from offering or accepting proposition bets tied to individual players’ performances in college games. These wagers, often involving statistical achievements or specific outcomes like which player will score first, would no longer be permitted under the new rules.

The bill’s statement cites concerns raised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) about increasing reports of harassment toward student-athletes tied to the outcomes of such bets. The NCAA president has urged states to adopt stricter measures to protect players and preserve the fairness of collegiate competitions.

Under existing regulations, sports wagering operators in New Jersey are authorized to conduct wagering through physical lounges, self-service kiosks, and online platforms. However, the new proposal builds on the state’s restrictions, which already prohibit wagering on New Jersey-based college teams or collegiate events held within the state.

The measure aligns with broader provisions requiring operators to implement safeguards against suspicious or illegal betting activity. Operators must also maintain detailed records of sports wagering operations and report incidents of potential corruption or abnormal betting patterns to regulators.

The legislation is part of an ongoing effort to balance the expansion of legal sports betting with ethical considerations and the protection of vulnerable participants.

This move comes as part of a national trend to regulate sports betting while addressing concerns about its impact on the integrity of amateur athletics.

TRENTON, N.J. — A proposed amendment to New Jersey’s sports wagering laws would ban betting on player-specific proposition bets in collegiate sports, a move aimed at safeguarding the integrity of amateur athletics and curbing harassment of student-athletes.

The legislation, introduced in the state assembly, seeks to prevent licensed operators from offering or accepting proposition bets tied to individual players’ performances in college games. These wagers, often involving statistical achievements or specific outcomes like which player will score first, would no longer be permitted under the new rules.

The bill’s statement cites concerns raised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) about increasing reports of harassment toward student-athletes tied to the outcomes of such bets. The NCAA president has urged states to adopt stricter measures to protect players and preserve the fairness of collegiate competitions.

Under existing regulations, sports wagering operators in New Jersey are authorized to conduct wagering through physical lounges, self-service kiosks, and online platforms. However, the new proposal builds on the state’s restrictions, which already prohibit wagering on New Jersey-based college teams or collegiate events held within the state.

The measure aligns with broader provisions requiring operators to implement safeguards against suspicious or illegal betting activity. Operators must also maintain detailed records of sports wagering operations and report incidents of potential corruption or abnormal betting patterns to regulators.

The legislation is part of an ongoing effort to balance the expansion of legal sports betting with ethical considerations and the protection of vulnerable participants.

This move comes as part of a national trend to regulate sports betting while addressing concerns about its impact on the integrity of amateur athletics.

Source link

November 19, 2024
NJ Bill Moves to Ban Betting on Individial Accomplishments of College Athletes

21

TRENTON, N.J. — A proposed amendment to New Jersey’s sports wagering laws would ban betting on player-specific proposition bets in collegiate sports, a move aimed at safeguarding the integrity of amateur athletics and curbing harassment of student-athletes.

The legislation, introduced in the state assembly, seeks to prevent licensed operators from offering or accepting proposition bets tied to individual players’ performances in college games. These wagers, often involving statistical achievements or specific outcomes like which player will score first, would no longer be permitted under the new rules.

The bill’s statement cites concerns raised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) about increasing reports of harassment toward student-athletes tied to the outcomes of such bets. The NCAA president has urged states to adopt stricter measures to protect players and preserve the fairness of collegiate competitions.

Under existing regulations, sports wagering operators in New Jersey are authorized to conduct wagering through physical lounges, self-service kiosks, and online platforms. However, the new proposal builds on the state’s restrictions, which already prohibit wagering on New Jersey-based college teams or collegiate events held within the state.

The measure aligns with broader provisions requiring operators to implement safeguards against suspicious or illegal betting activity. Operators must also maintain detailed records of sports wagering operations and report incidents of potential corruption or abnormal betting patterns to regulators.

The legislation is part of an ongoing effort to balance the expansion of legal sports betting with ethical considerations and the protection of vulnerable participants.

This move comes as part of a national trend to regulate sports betting while addressing concerns about its impact on the integrity of amateur athletics.

TRENTON, N.J. — A proposed amendment to New Jersey’s sports wagering laws would ban betting on player-specific proposition bets in collegiate sports, a move aimed at safeguarding the integrity of amateur athletics and curbing harassment of student-athletes.

The legislation, introduced in the state assembly, seeks to prevent licensed operators from offering or accepting proposition bets tied to individual players’ performances in college games. These wagers, often involving statistical achievements or specific outcomes like which player will score first, would no longer be permitted under the new rules.

The bill’s statement cites concerns raised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) about increasing reports of harassment toward student-athletes tied to the outcomes of such bets. The NCAA president has urged states to adopt stricter measures to protect players and preserve the fairness of collegiate competitions.

Under existing regulations, sports wagering operators in New Jersey are authorized to conduct wagering through physical lounges, self-service kiosks, and online platforms. However, the new proposal builds on the state’s restrictions, which already prohibit wagering on New Jersey-based college teams or collegiate events held within the state.

The measure aligns with broader provisions requiring operators to implement safeguards against suspicious or illegal betting activity. Operators must also maintain detailed records of sports wagering operations and report incidents of potential corruption or abnormal betting patterns to regulators.

The legislation is part of an ongoing effort to balance the expansion of legal sports betting with ethical considerations and the protection of vulnerable participants.

This move comes as part of a national trend to regulate sports betting while addressing concerns about its impact on the integrity of amateur athletics.

Source link

November 19, 2024
Standout NHL centre Bill Hay went on to play key roles as a hockey executive

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Chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame Bill Hay about to contact the 2012 Inductees Pavel Bure, Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin and Adam Oates on June 26, 2012. Mr. Hay died on Oct. 25 at the age of 88.Steve Poirier/Hockey Hall of Fame

On and off the ice, Bill (Red) Hay was a force in hockey.

As a player, he won the Calder Trophy as the National Hockey League’s rookie of the year in 1960. The following season, playing on Chicago’s Million Dollar Line, he won the Stanley Cup.

As an executive, he was president of the Calgary Flames, the president of Hockey Canada and the chief executive officer of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Mr. Hay, who has died at 88, was a rare Canadian player of his era to have been formally educated. He is regarded as a trailblazer for having delayed the start of his professional hockey career to earn a degree from a U.S. college while playing for the varsity team.

The left-handed centre retired as a player at the age of 31 in 1967, though he likely had left several productive seasons.

“It wasn’t easy to leave hockey,” he said six years later. “At that time, league expansion had just begun. There was a great shortage of players and the money offered was good. The greatest difficulty was resisting the temptation to carry on for a few more years and make extra money.”

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Mr. Hay was chief executive officer of the Hockey Hall of Fame.Steve Poirier/Hockey Hall of Fame

Mr. Hay left hockey for the oil patch. A decade earlier, his inability to find a job out of college had led him to sign a hockey contract.

William Charles Hay was born in Saskatoon on Dec. 9, 1935, the youngest of three children by the former Florence Miller and Charles Cecil Hay. Both parents were notable athletes and graduates of the University of Saskatchewan.

His mother, nicknamed String, was a goaltender for the women’s varsity hockey team. String Miller also played basketball and competed in track. She hailed from an athletic family, as a younger brother, Earl Miller, played left wing for parts of five NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The elder Mr. Hay was also a goaltender for the university, which he led to a Western Canadian senior hockey title in 1923, before losing the Allan Cup national championship to the Toronto Granites by 11-2 in a two-game, total-goals series. The Granites went on to win the Olympic gold medal the following year.

Young Bill played hockey before he started school in Lumsden, Sask. By the age of 15, he was skating for the junior Regina Pats. A giant of his era, at 6 foot 3 (190.5 centimetres) and 190 pounds (86 kilograms), Mr. Hay was neither a bully nor a bulldozer, showing skill as a smooth skater and playmaker, as well as an opportunistic goal scorer.

In the 1955 postseason, he scored 12 goals in 15 games, though his Pats lost the Memorial Cup to the Toronto Marlboros. The Marlies, featuring several future NHL players including Bob Pulford, Bobby Baun and Billy Harris, defeated the Pats four games to one in a series played in Regina. The lanky Mr. Hay scored a hat-trick in the desperate final game, only to lose, 8-5.

The Montreal Canadiens, who owned his rights, urged the promising centreman to attend McGill University while playing for one of the club’s farm teams. Instead, he hitchhiked south to talk his way into a scholarship with Colorado College.

Mr. Hay scored 60 goals in 60 games over two seasons with the Tigers. He was a two-time All-American. In 1957, the Tigers defeated Michigan 13-6 to claim the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship. Mr. Hay was named the all-star centre of the Frozen Four tournament held at Colorado Springs.

After graduating with a geology degree in 1958, Mr. Hay unsuccessfully sought employment in his field in Calgary.

That fall, he was one of 56 players invited to training camp with the Montreal Canadiens. He survived coach Toe Blake’s first cut of 30 skaters before being optioned to the Calgary Stampeders of the old Western Hockey League.

He scored his first pro goal in a 3-2 victory at home against the Spokane Flyers (soon to be renamed Spokes). His victim was former NHL netminder Emile (The Cat) Francis.

After a slow start, blamed by hockey writers on the higher calibre of play than that found at the collegiate level, the tall centre wound up with 54 points (24 goals, 30 assists) in 53 games.

The Canadiens, who were overloaded with young centres, including Jean Béliveau and Henri Richard, sold the prospect’s rights to Chicago for US$20,000 in April, 1959.

The tall, angular rookie, aged 23, was placed between right winger Murray Balfour, 23, who was another Montreal castoff from Saskatchewan, and Bobby Hull, 20, the flashy left winger dubbed the Golden Jet. The trio clicked immediately.

“There’s not much to this game when you have a guy like Bobby there,” Mr. Hay said. “All you have to do is get [the puck] to him and he scores.”

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Mr. Hay won the Stanley Cup playing on Chicago’s Million Dollar Line in 1961. Former Chicago Blackhawk players, from left, Eric Nesterenko, Bill ‘Red’ Hay, Stan Mikita and Glenn Hall sing the national anthem after being honored for the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Stanley Cup champions, on Jan. 9, 2011.Charles Cherney/The Canadian Press

Chicago coach Rudy Pilous called the trio his Million Dollar Line. (The sobriquet is also attributed to the team’s owner, who was alleged to have said he would not part with them for that sum.) The centre skated in all 70 games in his inaugural campaign, scoring 18 goals with 37 assists.

At the end of the season, Mr. Hay was voted as the league’s top rookie by hockey writers. He outpolled Murray Oliver of Detroit by 139-101, followed by Ken Schinkel of New York, Chicago teammate Stan Mikita and linemate Mr. Balfour. The Calder Trophy came with a $1,000 prize.

In his sophomore campaign, the Blackhawks eliminated Montreal in the semi-finals before defeating Gordie Howe and the Detroit Red Wings by four games to two to claim the Stanley Cup. Mr. Hay scored a goal and added three assists in the finals.

“Nobody really relied on anybody in 1961,” he told the Calgary Albertan a decade later. “Everybody worked hard, especially at checking.”

Married and with three young children at home, Mr. Hay shocked the Blackhawks by retiring at the end of the 1965-66 season to become an executive with an oil exploration company.

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Mr. Hay (left) shows his 1961 Stanley Cup ring to Anaheim Ducks General Manager Brian Burke during a ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Jan. 25, 2008.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press

“I wanted to settle down in Calgary and get into business,” he told Louis Cauz of The Globe and Mail. “It was pretty hard moving the family back and forth.”

He was lured back midway through the season, before retiring as a player for good in 1967, just as the NHL was about to double in size from six to 12 franchises. In eight seasons with Chicago, the centre skated in 506 games, scoring 113 goals with 274 assists. He had another 15 goals and 21 assists in 67 playoff games.

Oddly, his early retirement did not prevent other teams from selecting him in drafts. The new St. Louis Blues picked him in the 11th round, No. 66 overall, in the 1967 NHL expansion draft. A year later, Chicago claimed him back. He had not played competitive hockey for five years when the Calgary Broncos selected him in the 74th round of the World Hockey Association’s draft. As it turned out, the Calgary franchise folded before the start of the season, and Mr. Hay’s rights transferred to the Cleveland Crusaders.

Through his summers as a player, Mr. Hay drew maps and studied exploration research for Imperial Oil. He later reported on drilling operations in Alberta and Montana for Sedco Explorations, owned by the Saskatchewan-born brothers Donald, Daryl (Doc) and Byron (BJ) Seaman. As an executive with their Bow Valley Resource Services Ltd., Mr. Hay helped broker a meeting between Doc Seaman and NHL president John Ziegler about transferring the faltering Atlanta Flames franchise to Calgary, which happened in 1980.

Open this photo in gallery:

Hockey Canada agrees to send a team to the 1978 World Championships, on Feb. 25, 1978. Clockwise from bottom, chief negotiator Alan Eagleson, Eric Morse, former National Hockey League president, Clarence Campbell, Ron Roberts, Torrance Wyllie, ex-national team coach Father David Bauer, Bill Watters, Chris Lang, Bill Hay, George Cariviere, Larry Gordon, Derek Holmes and chairman Douglas Fisher.Edward Regan/The Globe and Mail

Eleven years later, Mr. Hay became president of the club.

“I’ve got to throw all that [Blackhawks] stuff out,” he told Monte Stewart of the Calgary Herald. “Even my grandkids aren’t allowed to wear them now.”

By then, he was also president of Hockey Canada, the sport’s national governing body, a position once held by his father, who was responsible for organizing the famed 1972 Summit Series between the Soviet Union’s national team and Canadian NHL professionals.

Mr. Hay has been inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1992), the Colorado College Athletic Hall of Fame (1995), the Colorado Springs Hall of Fame (1998), Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame (2013) and the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (2017). He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2015, again matching his father, who had been enshrined as a builder in 1974, a year after his death at the age of 71.

The hockey administrator was also honoured for his work as a geologist and executive by being named to the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Hall of Fame in 1999.

Mr. Hay died on Oct. 25. He leaves the former Nancy Anne Livingstone Woodman, his wife of 67 years, as well as two daughters, five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a brother. He was predeceased by a sister. A son, Donald James Hay, died three days after his father, aged 62.

For his part, Mr. Hay was amused when his coach came up with the memorable nickname for his line.

“Million Dollar Line, that was a laugh,” he once said. “Bobby got $950,000 and Murray and I each got $25,000.”

You can find more obituaries from The Globe and Mail here.

To submit a memory about someone we have recently profiled on the Obituaries page, e-mail us at obit@globeandmail.com.

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November 16, 2024
Newly-elected World Rugby boss Brett Robinson vows to tackle sport’s ‘financial crisis’, promote women’s game and stop time-wasting – after first southern hemisphere chairman sees off rivals to succeed Sir Bill Beaumont

World Rugby’s new chairman, Brett Robinson, has outlined his urgent mission to tackle the sport’s acute financial crisis, after narrowly winning the vote to succeed Sir Bill Beaumont.

The former Australia flanker became the first elected figurehead of the global governing body from the southern hemisphere, by edging out ex-France captain Abdelatif Benazzi 27-25 in the second round of voting.

As expected, it had become a two-horse race when the Italian candidate, Andrea Rinaldo, was eliminated after gaining just nine votes in the first round, compared to 22 for Robinson and 21 for Benazzi.

Having come through the tense, tight ballot at a luxury hotel here in the Irish capital, the 54-year-old victor spoke about his pride and pressing priorities.

‘It’s a great privilege and honour to be elected to chair World Rugby,’ said Robinson. ‘I was honoured to be put up, but to have the game come and support me is fabulous.

‘Work starts today. There are a list of things that (World Rugby’s) Council want from me, having elected me, and I’ve got to start looking at those in some detail.

Brett Robinson has seen off the competition to become the new World Rugby chairman

Robinson (second-right) will replace outgoing Sir Bill Beaumont (second-left) in the role

The result was a disappointment for former French star Abdelatif Benazzi who expected to win

‘I was very clear leading into the elections that the financial sustainability of our member unions is at crisis point, so we have to find ways, collectively, to deal with that. I was really clear about the need to grow the game, while ensuring our core markets are in a good place.

‘I was clear about the competitions that matter to us – the Nations Championship getting off the ground, the women’s game continuing to grow, and our platform around the Sevens being reset after the Olympics. I was also really clear about listening to our fans.

‘There is not enough ball in play, too much senseless kicking, and we’re not promoting teams to attack. Finally, World Rugby as an organisation has been in the professional era for about 30 years.

‘Now, we’ve got so much to think about as an organisation, what our priorities are, and how we can be fit, lean, and ready to deliver.’

The perception going into the election was that Robinson was a status quo candidate while Benazzi was more focused on overseeing an era of global expansion.

Asked if his aim was to reinforce the game’s core unions and nations rather than targeting new markets, Robinson added: ‘We’ve done some great work in the past few months bringing our top unions together.

‘There are revenue and cost levers we can play with. We did a workshop four weeks ago, and last night the CEOs and chairs of the major unions came together as a follow-on from that. We’re into some detail about those things now.’

This was not only a satisfactory outcome for Australia, it also represented a perfect result for the RFU, who have been able to maintain English influence at the top of World Rugby.

Robinson drew attention to the Rugby Sevens platform being ‘reset’ after the Olympics

He also vowed to assist the women’s game as it ‘continued to grow’ in popularity

The result is good news for the RFU as it maintains English influence at the top of rugby

Former England full-back Jonathan Webb will serve as vice-chairman after being elected to the executive board, after the RFU strongly and openly backed Robinson’s campaign.

Benazzi had been confident of victory in the chairman election and as he hurried to leave the hotel after his agonising defeat, he lamented the decision by Rugby Africa to cast their two votes in favour of Robinson.

The Morocco-born candidate had evidently expected to be supported by the region whose leading nation, South Africa, were staunchly supportive of Benazzi’s bid for the lead role.

Shortly after the voting concluded, the president of Rugby Africa, Herbert Mensah – a Ghanaian businessman and sports administrator – could be seen posing for selfies with Robinson. It emerged that Mensah had been voted on to the new executive board.

Another man hoping to gain one of those coveted seats at the top table was former Argentina captain Agustin Pichot, who had narrowly lost the previous chairman election to Beaumont in 2020. However, the popular Pumas legend missed out, as did the president of Rugby South America, Sebastian Pineyrua.

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November 15, 2024
Mass. lawmakers reach deal on Revs stadium, econ development bill
“We kept trying and trying to engage and just ran against brick walls,” the North End Democrat said in August.

After the two sides reached a compromise on the nearly $4 billion bill, Michlewitz told the Globe the package that emerged was “well worth the effort and the wait.”

He said the package will be a boon to the state’s economy by targeting the industries that “will continue to become very important to the growth of the overall economy [here].”

The bill, dubbed the “Mass Leads Act,” follows months of closed-door talks between leaders in the House and the Senate. The agreement was announced just two days after Election Day, guaranteeing lawmakers would approve it during a lame-duck session, the very situation a decades-old rule governing the chambers was designed to avoid.

House leaders are planning to call representatives back to the State House for a special formal session this week to approve this bill, a necessary step because the bill includes bonding measures, which require roll call votes. The Senate’s approval will likely follow, though the Senate’s rules allow members to participate in roll call votes remotely.

House members had not moved to come back for a special formal session as of Tuesday afternoon.

House and Senate leaders have been negotiating for months over the bill, which was the most high-profile proposal lawmakers failed to finish before they wrapped up formal sessions over the summer. The day after they gaveled out, Governor Maura Healey publicly pressured lawmakers to return to Beacon Hill to finish the bill — a major priority of the governor’s.

The soccer stadium language initially included in the Senate’s version of the bill, had been closely watched in part because this marked the third time project supporters have tried to secure approval to remove the 43-acre stadium site from what’s known as a designated port area, where only industrial uses are allowed. The Kraft Group for years has searched for a property in or near Boston to build a stadium for the Revs and move them out of Gillette Stadium, which the Revs share with the New England Patriots. That hunt, as of late, has zeroed in on a shuttered power plant across the Mystic River from Charlestown, and across the street from the Encore Boston Harbor casino.

Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria has been championing the language, but Boston officials, including Mayor Michelle Wu, chafed at the proposal, lamenting the city was left out of negotiations between the Kraft Group and Everett. The Wu administration is particularly concerned about the potential impact on traffic in Charlestown.

To address this, the latest language to remove the power plant land from the DPA now includes a provision requiring the Krafts to secure a community benefits agreements with Everett and with Boston; if an agreement can’t be reached with Boston, the issue would be resolved by an independent arbitrator. A community benefits agreement would include items to sweeten the deal, such as land for a public park or money for a community center.

“It’s been a long but healthy process,” said Steve Tocco, a lobbyist at ML Strategies who represents Kraft Group and Wynn Resorts, which owns both the casino and the stadium site. “We look forward to having a real chance to put this together.”

In a statement ahead of the bill’s release Tuesday, Wu said she is “grateful to the Legislature for recognizing the need for Boston to be included in discussions of this major proposal.”

“We look forward to learning the details of this proposal and working on behalf of Boston residents to represent community needs at this site,” she said.

The bill also includes language restricting how much state money officials can spend to improve the stadium’s site. Even with the Legislature’s approval, the stadium proposal still needs to undergo extensive state and local permitting, in addition to the mandated negotiations with Boston officials.

The bill would reauthorize a steady stream of state spending for the life sciences sector that began under former governor Deval Patrick’s administration, while the clean-tech funding in the bill would give a significant boost for that sector, including up to $30 million a year in tax credits for climate-tech businesses. Also included: $100 million to stoke the artificial intelligence sector.

State Senator Barry Finegold, the lead negotiator on the Senate side, said the bill is intended to grow sectors where Massachusetts is already a leader.

“The areas that we’re winning at, we want to grow that lead,” Finegold said. “Here in Massachusetts, we can’t get comfortable. We have to continue to compete. We have to continue to grow. We have to make this state very attractive for businesses to not only start here but to stay here.”

Brian Johnson, president of the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council, said Tuesday that while “it didn’t happen when we were hoping,” the bill’s expected passage is “timely” and “important.”

The injection of funds into the life sciences sector represents a “generational investment” in up-and-coming areas such as robotic surgery, advanced organ transplants, and neurotechnology — all areas where New England’s “brain belt” thrives, Johnson said.

“We have written the blueprint for other states, and many of the things we have done over the last 15 years have been very good,” he said. “But it’s time to invest in a seasoned product and cement our place.”

Jim Rooney, chief executive of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, agreed. He said he expects the new climate-tech funding to generate a similar reaction to the Legislature’s decision to support the life sciences sector in 2008, which received nationwide attention.

“I think that sends a signal to the rest of the country who are also aiming to compete in that industry that Massachusetts is serious about it,” Rooney said of clean-tech. “I expect that the country will take notice that Massachusetts is getting in the game in a big way.”

The bill included several policy riders and provisions, as well. Among the ones that made it into the final version of the bill were:

Several policies were also axed in the process. Those that did not make the cut include:
- A provision to bring back “happy hour” drink discounts
- Tax credits for the computer game industry
- A policy change to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 18-year-olds, meaning they would be tried as juveniles instead of adults for certain crimes
Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her @samanthajgross. Jon Chesto can be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Follow him @jonchesto.
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November 12, 2024
Proposed assisted dying bill for England and Wales rekindles debate over choice and ethics

LONDON — Details of a proposed law to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales have been published, rekindling debate on the controversial topic ahead of a vote in Parliament later this month.

The draft bill, published Monday, proposes allowing terminally ill adults expected to have less than six months to live to ask for and be provided with help to end their own life, subject to safeguards and protections.

Opponents have voiced concerns that the bill would mean people could become pressured to end their lives.

But Labour lawmaker Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the bill, said the law has robust safeguards built into it and contains “three layers of scrutiny” — two doctors and a High Court judge will have to sign off on any decision.

A debate and first vote on the bill is expected to take place on Nov. 29.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday he will study the details of the bill and “will not be putting pressure on any MP (Member of Parliament) to vote one way or the other.”

Here’s a look at what’s in the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and the next steps:

Under the draft legislation, only those over 18-years-old in England and Wales and who are expected to die within six months can request assisted dying.

They must have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and will be required to make two separate declarations about their wish to die. Two independent doctors have to be satisfied the person is eligible and a High Court judge will need to approve the decision.

Anyone found guilty of pressuring, coercing or dishonestly getting someone to make a declaration that they wish to die will face up to 14 years in prison.

Assisted suicide is currently banned in most parts of the U.K. It is not a specific criminal offense in Scotland, but assisting the death of someone can result in a criminal charge.

The patient must self-administer the life-ending medication themselves. No doctor or anyone else can give the medication.

No health professional is under any obligation to provide assistance to the patient.

Doctors who do take part would have to be satisfied the person making their declaration to die has made it voluntarily. They also must ensure the person is making an informed choice.

The bill will be debated in Parliament and lawmakers will be able to vote on it according to their conscience, rather than along party lines.

Opinion among lawmakers appears to be divided, though some senior ministers including Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said he intended to vote against the bill. Starmer has previously supported assisted dying, but the government says it will remain neutral on the issue.

If the bill passes the first stage in the House of Commons, it will face further scrutiny and votes in both Houses of Parliament. Leadbeater suggested that any new law is unlikely to come into effect within the next two to three years.

One argument supporting the bill is that wealthy individuals can travel to Switzerland, which allows foreigners to go there to legally end their lives, while others have to face possible prosecution for helping their loves ones to die.

Other countries that have legalized assisted suicide include Australia, Belgium, Canada and parts of the United States, with regulations on who is eligible varying by jurisdiction.

Assisted suicide is different to euthanasia, allowed in the Netherlands and Canada, which involves healthcare practitioners killing patients with a lethal injection at their request and in specific circumstances.

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November 12, 2024