A new survey finds two-thirds of Canadians still plan for turkey with all the fixings It’s a hectic day at The Meat Company, an online butcher shop in Winnipeg. On the Thursday before Thanksgiving, Stephen Cross and his staff are cutting meat and packing up orders that will be picked up or delivered to their customers for their big meals. “Now that the COVID epidemic is somewhat coming to an end, hopefully, people are starting to gather again at home. So, bigger meals. So, we’re busy. It’s nice. Finally,” Cross,Read more

Mponda Kalunga, a.k.a. The Egyptian Prince, wants to revive gold rush-era boxing mania Mponda Kalunga is a fighter in every sense of the word. He first fell in love with boxing when he saw Mike Tyson knockout Francois Botha on TV at the refugee camp in Tanzania where he grew up. “Seeing how this moment literally made everything stop … the good and the bad, just for this moment that … always stuck to me,” he said. “That’s the feeling. I want that glory.” Kalunga’s search for glory has beenRead more

Head of social services board says public opposition played part in stopping project In the middle of a particularly frigid, snowy winter this past year, two community leaders in Dryden, Ont., announced plans to open a temporary emergency shelter for three nights a week. There were hopes for it to open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at the Full Gospel Church, supported by the Kenora District Services Board (KDSB), which administers a range of social services to nine municipalities across northwestern Ontario. That news came as a relief to people livingRead more

Despite Environment Ministry crackdown at plastic recycling plant, tiny bits of plastic still washing ashore Over the last few weeks, Gabriel Provencher-Pharand has been criss-crossing the Rivière Magog in a small motor boat, searching for tiny bits of plastic that have washed up on the banks. The Magog flows from Lake Memphremagog, in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, through Lac Magog and past the city of Sherbrooke on the Lac des Nations before emptying into the Rivière Saint-François, a tributary of the St. Lawrence River. “We have to act,” said Provencher-Pharand, a technician with the freshwater environmental group Regroupement des associations pour laRead more

Veterans and on-duty military personnel learn the art of blacksmithing at an Ashcroft ranch You wouldn’t ordinarily associate axe-making with mental health therapy, but a Cariboo-area ranch is using the novel approach to help Canadian army veterans and first responders cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues. Veterans Affairs Canada estimates that 10 per cent of veterans who served in combat zones or on peacekeeping missions experience PTSD, a chronic condition that can cause severe anxiety through flashbacks and nightmares related to a traumatic event. For Jennine Gates, the act of forging anRead more

Federal Court of Appeal overturned court ruling that said Safe Third Country Agreement violated charter Refugee advocates appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada Thursday argued that the Safe Third Country Agreement governing asylum claims between Canada and the United States violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In summer 2020, the Federal Court sided with the advocates and ruled that the agreement violates section seven of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects an individual’s right to life, liberty and security of the person. The following spring, the Federal CourtRead more

Alberta government committed around $73M to aviation industries, tourism The Alberta government and WestJet announced on Wednesday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that promises to make Calgary and Alberta a hub for the aviation industry. As part of the agreement, the government committed around $73 million over a number of years toward the aviation and tourism industries in Alberta. WestJet also said they will designate the Calgary airport as its only connecting hub within its network. “Today’s announcement … is about making Alberta the leading provinceRead more

Canada’s top court overturned a decision that allowed for consecutive periods of parole ineligibility Families of murder victims went before a committee of MPs on Thursday to condemn a controversial Supreme Court of Canada decision on sentencing law. In May, all nine justices on Canada’s top court overturned a 2011 Criminal Code provision that allowed judges to impose parole ineligibility periods of 25 years to be served consecutively for each murder, rather than concurrently. Sharlene Bosma’s husband Tim was killed in 2013. She told the MPs on the justice committee that the provision for consecutive paroleRead more

Nearly four months after the leadership contest began, one of seven contenders will emerge the victor Tonight, the United Conservative Party will announce its new leader and Alberta’s 19th premier. Nearly four months after the leadership contest began, one of seven contenders will emerge the victor. Close to 124,000 people bought or renewed UCP memberships by the Aug. 12 deadline to qualify to cast a vote. Party members have been voting by mail since early September. As of Monday night, about 82,000 members — 66 per cent of the total membership — hadRead more

Canadian Tire, Telus, Tim Hortons and others pull sponsorship from national organization The federal sport minister is ramping up her criticism of those leading Hockey Canada — an organization accused of mishandling allegations of gang rapes — by urging them to vacate their positions before the sports body is damaged beyond repair. “I hope they understand the message and leave before they burn it to the ground,” Pascale St-Onge said Thursday after a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill. Her comments are just the latest salvo aimed at the national ice hockey body. CBC News hasRead more