‘Ottawa has created the chaos,’ Smith says Danielle Smith, considered one of the front-runners in the United Conservative Party leadership race, faced sharp criticism Wednesday from debate rivals over her Alberta sovereignty plan and controversial comments on cancer. Many of the seven candidates, including three who left Premier Jason Kenney’s cabinet to run in the race, criticized Smith’s proposal to immediately bring in a bill to give Alberta the power to ignore federal laws and court rulings deemed not in its interest. They said Alberta must push back against the federal government, but said Smith’s plan isRead more

Referred to United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Quebec City address Hundreds of people lined the streets from Jean Lesage International Airport to the Plains of Abraham hoping to get a glimpse of Pope Francis as he arrived in Quebec City Wednesday. It marks the fourth day of his visit to Canada, which he is calling a pilgrimage of healing, reconciliation and hope. After meeting with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he gave a public address at the Citadelle, the fortress overlooking the plains and St. LawrenceRead more

The party’s newfound popularity is testing the limits of anti-mandate politics When Éric Duhaime took over as leader of the Quebec Conservatives last year, the party had never held a seat in the legislature, never been invited to a major debate and never raised more than $60,000 in donations in any given year. It was, basically, a fringe party, unaffiliated with the federal Conservatives and considered too libertarian for most Quebec voters since it was formed in 2009. In the last 15 months, though, Duhaime’s party has wrangled a seat inRead more

Crown delivers closing arguments in nearly 2-month long tria British Columbia teenager Amanda Todd feared that the person who was harassing and extorting her would continue for the rest of her life, and there was nothing she could do to stop it, a Crown attorney told B.C. Supreme Court on Wednesday. Kristen LeNoble showed the court a Facebook post that Todd wrote shortly after the harasser had shared sexualized images of her, saying, “I feel so sad, I feel so sick.” The teen from Port Coquitlam, who died nearly aRead more

Cupholder pushes phone’s side buttons, triggering an automatic 911 call It’s become an all too common occurrence for Red Deer emergency dispatcher Andrea McLean. She answers a 911 call to hear a confused person on the other line wondering how they dialled the number. Knowingly, she asks, “Was your phone in a cupholder?” They say, “Yes,” and she launches into her explanation. On an iPhone 8 or later, an emergency SOS call can be made by holding down both side buttons at the same time. A new screen appears, and soon, a countdownRead more