Top stories of the week: creation of the ‘Smith Blade’, parent launches Charter challenge, and mug thrown at vehicle

‘Smith Blade’ could replace Swiss Army, Leatherman and it’s being made in Cambridge, Ont.

YouTube sensations and engineering wizards Hacksmith Industries, based in Cambridge, Ont., are introducing a 21st-century take on the classic pocketknife.

The company has a knack for taking sci-fi concepts and creating working prototypes.

• A plasma-based retractable lightsaber
• The Batcave
• The Mentos Fizzooka rocket launcher

Recently, they’ve taken a serious turn.

“A little change of pace around here. We’ve moved from YouTube to becoming a full-on knife manufacturer,” said James Hobson, the creator of Hacksmith.

The team ran the most successful Canadian Kickstarter of all time in August. Over a three-week period they raised $15 million to produce the ‘Smith Blade,’ said to be much more suited for the concrete jungles and technologies of today.

“It’s my version of the modern-day Swiss Army knife,” said Hobson. “I was a Boy Scout [and] over the years I’ve carried lots of different pocket knives and multi-tools. I’ve tried Leatherman,” said Hobson, adding that they’ve never quite cut it.

He referenced a recent visit from the former prime minister, Justin Trudeau, to the company’s headquarters when they both agreed the lack of tweezers in the Leatherman multi-tool is one of the gaps in the market.

So he thought, why not make his own?

“The Hacksmith logo has featured a Swiss Army knife for the past 13 years. So you could say I’ve been priming my audience for this product,” said Hobson.

The Smith Blade weighs only 95 grams and has 21 tools integrated into it.

To bring it to life, Hacksmith Industries has nearly doubled its workforce and continues to hire more people. They’ve overhauled their Cambridge headquarters to manufacture it there.

“We’ve actually set a Canadian record and we actually have the largest single possible order for CNC Machines in Canada. We’ve got 32 in total,” said Hobson.

They’ll be using those machines to produce the 40,000 pre-ordered Smith Blades for their Kickstarter backers.

Then, they hope to start making more, including versions for the general public.

“[Then we can] hit different price points so everyone can afford a Smith Blade. The lite version starts at $89.99, the standard $169 and then the pro at $249,” said Hobson.

For someone who has brought ideas from comics, movies and video games to life, Hacksmith ranks the Smith Blade surprisingly high among his accomplishments.

“That’s the biggest honour as an engineer, knowing that someone else likes your product that much that it’s part of their life,” Hobson said.

As for what’s next, the big dream would be to have the Smith Blade become a dedicated gadget for the RCMP or military. Given what Hacksmith has achieved before, it may not be out of reach.

Parent explains why he launched a Charter challenge against WRDSB over land acknowledgments

Geoff Horsman is speaking out about his decision to launch a legal challenge against the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) over the requirement to include land acknowledgments at school council meetings.

The father of three, who is also part of the school council at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School (KCI), raised concerns with the rule earlier this year.

He asked for the matter be put on the agenda for discussion by school council. He was first told no by the council chair, then the school principal, and eventually the school board’s System Administrator of Equity and Inclusive Education.

“I was told that, ‘Well, we can’t really even have a discussion about this because it could be a violation of human rights to even discuss it,’” Horsman said.

So, he turned to the courts.

“I thought, this can’t really be that parents and taxpayers who fund the board are supposed to sit through political statements or recitations of this sort, and we cannot express any dissent, and no discussion is permitted,” Horsman explained. “I don’t think this is how a free society should operate and it’s not good for an education system for our children.”

Horsman and constitutional lawyer Hatim Kheir have asked for a judicial review, arguing the WRDSB’s mandate on land acknowledgments is outside of its purview, as school councils are supposed to be an arm’s length advisory body.

“I think… this pushback can help remind them of what council is for,” Horsman said.

The Waterloo Region District School Board declined to comment on the situation while it is before the courts.

The documents prepared in this case quoted the board’s System Administrator of Equity and Inclusive Education as telling Horsman, “Discussions that question or challenge established equity-focused practices, including territorial acknowledgements, fall outside the scope of school council business. These expectations are in place to ensure that all participants experience school council as a safe, respectful and inclusive space.”

Horsman believes codes of conduct can make people wary of stepping out of line.

“I think they’re speech suppression tools, in my opinion, a lot of these codes of conduct,” he explained.

Horsman and his lawyer would like a judge to overturn the school board’s mandate, leaving decisions on land acknowledgments up to the individual school councils.

The case is still in the early stages, and it could be months before it is heard in a courtroom.

Ceramic coffee mug thrown at vehicle near Stratford, Ont.

Ontario Provincial Police say someone tossed a ceramic coffee mug at a passing vehicle west of Stratford.

The incident happened on Perth Line 20 around 9 a.m. on Nov. 28.

According to OPP, the cup was thrown from a black Ford F-150 crew cab pickup truck. They said it was likely a 2009 to 2015 model, with an off-set front licence plate and dark plate cover on the driver’s side.

Police shared an image of the pickup, as well as the mug hitting the passing vehicle.

Witnesses are asked to contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 orontariocrimestoppers.ca.

Canada-wide warrant issued for man known to visit Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Milton

A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for a man known to make frequent visits to Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Milton.

Evan Haney, 29, also has ties to Newfoundland.

According to Ontario Provincial Police’s Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (R.O.P.E.) Squad, Haney is currently serving a 2-year and 3-month sentence on three counts of break and enter, theft under $5,000, two counts of disguise with intent, assault with a weapon, fraud under $5,000, and failing to comply with a court order.

Haney is described as an Indigenous male, 5’11” (180 cm) and 195 lbs. (88kgs), with brown hair and hazel-green eyes.

He wears thick-rimmed glasses with a green-blue strap and has several tattoos, including: “S14” on the center of his neck, a Toronto Maple Leafs logo on his left neck, a Toronto Raptors logo on the right side of his neck, the words “self made” spelled out along the knuckles of his left and right hand, “MOA” written on his left hand, “Mom 1968-2008” on his inner right forearm and “DEXTER” on his left forearm.

Anyone who has information on Haney’s whereabouts is asked to contact the R.O.P.E. Squad at 416-808-5900, toll free at 1-866-870-7673, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or call 9-1-1.

OPP say teen driver who failed to stop for school bus had open alcohol in car

A 17-year-old is facing a number of charges after failing to stop for a school bus in Atwood, Ont.

Officers with Ontario Provincial Police were on patrol when they noticed the vehicle blow past the bus.

Moments later, the car collided with a stop sign.

Police said the driver and his four passengers were not hurt.

A search of the vehicle, however, turned up several open containers of alcohol.

OPP said the 17-year-old boy from Palmerston was charged with failing to stop for a school bus, careless driving and failing to surrender his licence. He was also charged with having care or control of a motor vehicle with an open container of liquor, under the Liquor Licence Control Act.

The teen was then issued provincial offence notices, fined $1,305 and released from custody.

OPP said he’ll have 15 days to decide if he wants to pay the fines, contest the charges or meet with a prosecutor to reach a resolution.

All drivers are required to stop for school buses with flashing red signal lights. Anyone who fails to follow the rules could be charged.