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

Police say 5 people were arrested in total, only 2 have been charged Police say two men have been charged in connection with a shooting at the mountain resort of Whistler, B.C., on Sunday afternoon that left two dead. Gursimran Sahota, 24, and Tanvir Khakh, 20, both from Surrey, have been charged with first-degree murder in relation to the shooting at the Sundial Hotel, police said Monday. On Sunday, Sea to Sky RCMP said officers were on patrol when a report came in just after noon of shots fired. Police said they found one man dead and the other inRead more

Filming on Confederation Bridge may cause traffic delays on Tuesday Ferry service between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia will not resume until at least Wednesday, according to officials with Northumberland Ferries Ltd. Service has been suspended since Friday when a fire broke out on the MV Holiday Island. The boat is not expected to operate for the rest of the season. The boat was listing Monday, and taking in some seawater. “With the excessive heat that would’ve happened because of the fire, there’s probably piping that’s been compromised.  And that waterRead more

Automaker says it’s ‘firmly committed to the future of its Canadian operations’ Stellantis is offering a “retirement incentive program” to employees at its Ontario assembly plants in Windsor and Brampton ahead of a multibillion-dollar shift to electric vehicle production, but the automaker is not commenting on how much it expects to shrink its workforce. In a statement on Tuesday, the company formerly known as Fiat Chrysler said the incentives are for eligible employees. The company said the “workforce reduction” would take place over the next couple of months but it would not directlyRead more

Virtanen was charged with one count of sexual assault in January A 12-person jury has found former Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen not guilty of sexual assault. Virtanen was charged with one count of sexual assault in January following an investigation by Vancouver police. The Crown and defence counsel finished their closing arguments Monday by focusing on the reliability of the trial’s two witnesses and their conflicting testimony. Virtanen, 25, and the complainant were the only witnesses called to testify. The hockey player maintained his innocence throughout the trial inRead more

Apology fails to recognize ‘full role of the church in the residential school system,’ former senator says The former Manitoba senator who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada says there’s a “deep hole” in the apology issued by Pope Francis Monday for the role Catholics played in Canada’s residential school system. Murray Sinclair says the historic apology, although meaningful to many residential school survivors and their families, fell short of Call to Action 58 in the final report. It specifically called on the Pope to issue an apology “for the Roman CatholicRead more

Candidates in Ward 1 and Ward 8 focus on online connections and in-person events over door-knocking It can be hard to knock on doors if you use a wheelchair to get around – so two Hamilton candidates in the upcoming municipal election are running their campaigns a little differently. Anthony Frisina (Ward 8) and Ian MacPherson (Ward 1), who both use wheelchairs, plan to run their campaigns largely without door-to-door canvassing, relying on in-person events and online engagement in their attempts to secure seats on city council. Frisina, who isRead more

Norman Yak’eula is hiking the historic Canol Trail in N.W.T. When Pope Francis addresses residential school survivors in Maskwacis, Alberta on Monday, one survivor won’t be in the audience or watching it on a screen. Instead, Norman Yak’eula plans to be trekking hundreds of kilometres northwest, deep in the Mackenzie Mountains and dense bush of the Northwest Territories, following the ancestral route of the Sahtú Dene and Métis. “This is my spirituality,” said Yak’eula. “I want to go back to my own church, my own people.” Skepticism, wariness and hope asRead more