canada
Royal Canadian Legion branch to be sold after being infiltrated by bikers
Second time Woodbridge branch in the hot seat in 5 months The Woodbridge branch of the Royal Canadian Legion has been shut down by the national body for an unusual reason: It had been infiltrated by outlaw motorcycle gang members. The decision by the Legion’s national executive was delivered in a letter to members of Branch 414, also known as the MacKenzie branch, dated Feb. 12. “It is with great sorrow that I inform you that the charter of the MacKenzie branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Provincial CommandRead more
Calls to ban books are on the rise in Canada. So is the opposition to any bans
Most Canadians ‘stand with authors … stand with a child’s right to read,’ says writer whose book was pulled Danny Ramadan recalls self-censoring his writing in Syria before his arrival in Canada 10 years ago. Now, as an advocate for LGBTQ+ refugees and an author exploring belonging, displacement and identity, he says navigating book challenges is a somewhat expected part of being published. Still, when an Ontario school board shadow-banned his children’s title Salma Writes a Book last fall — the school libraries carried it, but restricted students’ access — Ramadan was floored.Read more
BlendJet recall of millions of blenders over fire hazard, breaking blades includes 117,000 in Canada
There have been 329 reports of blades breaking during use BlendJet is recalling millions of portable blenders over laceration and fire hazards after receiving dozens of reports of injuries, U.S. regulators said Thursday. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says the recall covers about 4.8 million blenders in the U.S. and about 117,000 were sold in Canada. BlendJet 2 Portable Blenders can overheat or catch fire, according to the CPSC, and their blender blades can break off while in use. There have been 329 reports of blades breaking during use, theRead more
Air Canada fined $97.5K for failing to assist passenger in wheelchair
Canadian Transportation Agency found airline violated disability regulations The Canadian Transportation Agency has handed Air Canada a fine of $97,500 after a passenger who uses a wheelchair was made to drag himself off a plane in Las Vegas. In a statement, the CTA said the airline must pay for “several violations of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations.” On Aug. 30, Prince George, B.C., resident Rodney Hodgins, who has spastic cerebral palsy and uses a motorized wheelchair, was told by Air Canada crew in Las Vegas that no assistanceRead more
Statistics Canada reports record population growth, more than 430,000 in Q3
Country sees fastest-paced population growth in any quarter since 1957 Canada’s population grew by more than 430,000 during the third quarter, marking the fastest pace of population growth in any quarter since 1957. Statistics Canada released its Oct. 1 population estimates on Tuesday, putting the number at more than 40.5 million. The agency says the population growth over the first nine months of 2023 has already surpassed the total growth in any other full year, including the record set in 2022. That has been fuelled by international migration, including aboutRead more
U.S., Canada to join multinational operation to safeguard Red Sea commerce
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday announced the creation of a multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea following a series of missile and drone attacks(opens in a new tab) by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. Austin, who is on a trip to Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s headquarters in the Middle East, said participating countries include the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain. He said they would conduct joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. “This is an internationalRead more
Public Health Agency of Canada confirms 6th death from cantaloupe salmonella outbreak
53 people have been hospitalized and there have been 153 lab-confirmed cases so far The Public Health Agency of Canada on Friday confirmed a sixth death tied to a salmonella outbreak caused by the consumption of contaminated cantaloupes. PHAC said in a statement that 53 people have been hospitalized and there have been 153 lab-confirmed cases so far. “Based on the investigation findings to date, consumption of Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes have been identified as the likely source of the outbreak,” PHAC said. “Many of the individuals who became sickRead more
Former Afghan interpreter for Canadian Armed Forces arrested by the Taliban, family says
Bashir Ahmad Azizi’s family in hiding while awaiting immigration paperwork for trip to Canada A former Canadian Armed Forces military interpreter has been arrested by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, CBC News has learned. “One morning I went to the [gym] with my father,” said Basir Ahmad Azizi, the son of Bashir Ahmad Azizi, who worked as a CAF interpreter until at least 2007 at Kandahar Airfield when the Canadian military was posted there with other western coalition forces. Azizi says Taliban gunmen showed up while his father was taking a breakRead more
With anti-Muslim occurrences on the rise, schools in Canada urged to address Islamophobia
Just a handful of school boards, all in Ontario, have developed a classroom strategy As tensions from the Israel-Hamas war continue to ripple through Canada, and officials across the country report an alarming rise in anti-Muslim occurrences, some experts say Islamophobia must become a classroom priority addressed now, in practical ways and on multiple fronts. Although there have long been calls for more attention on combating Islamophobia in Canadian schools, it’s been an infrequent topic of discussion, with just a handful of Ontario school boards beginning work in recent years on developing an anti-Islamophobia strategy.Read more
Grieving daughter says father might still be alive if Air Canada had diverted long-haul flight
Air Canada says crew properly followed medical emergency procedures Shanu Pande says she had been looking forward to the trip for years — a flight that would bring her father to Canada from India after he finally obtained permanent residency status. But the September trip took a sharp turn when Harish Pant, 83, developed severe medical symptoms: chest pain, back pain, vomiting, loss of bowel control and the inability to stand up. “He was deteriorating in front of my eyes,” said Pande, who was accompanying her father. Flight AC051 hadRead more