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AlbertaOct 15, 2025

Alberta government set to receive report into health contract scandal

Alberta's government says it expects to receive a final report today from the investigation into allegations of corruption over health contracts. Former Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant was hired in March to review multimillion-dollar contracts for children's medication and for surgeries by for-profit providers. He was to determine whether any staff with the Health Ministry, Alberta Health Services or companies involved in the contracts properly disclosed and dealt with any potential conflicts of interest. The allegations stemmed from a wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed earlier this year by the fo
AlbertaOct 14, 2025

Alberta teachers, province set to meet for first time since strike began last week

Negotiations between the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the provincial government are scheduled to resume today, marking the first formal talks since thousands of teachers walked off the job on October 6. The provincewide strike has now entered its sixth day, leaving more than 740,000 students across 2,500 schools out of classrooms. The dispute centres on wages and class sizes. The government’s last proposal, which teachers decisively rejected late last month, offered a 12 per cent salary increase over four years and a plan to hire 3,000 additional teachers. Finance Minister Nate
alberta-education-minister-concerned-about-private-school-funding-petition
AlbertaOct 08, 2025

Alberta education minister concerned about private school funding petition

Alberta's education minister says cutting government funding to private schools would only escalate the pressure faced by the province's strained public school system. Demetrios Nicolaides says thousands of children would need to find new schools to attend, likely public schools, which he says are already under immense pressure. The funding cut is a move one Calgary teacher is hoping to put to a vote. This week Alberta's chief electoral officer approved the teacher's proposed referendum question, which asks: ``Should the Government of Alberta end its current practice of allocating
alberta-premier-in-ottawa-to-push-for-federal-partnership-on-energy-projects
AlbertaOct 07, 2025

Alberta Premier in Ottawa to push for federal partnership on energy projects

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is in Ottawa this week, following up on her now week-old pledge to help fund the development of a proposal for a new oil pipeline to Canada's West Coast. Smith is hopeful the project _ which as of yet has no private sector proponent or a suggested route option _ can be submitted for consideration by Prime Minister Mark Carney's new Major Projects Office by next spring. Smith met with Carney on Monday at the Ottawa airport, just before he boarded a plane to Washington, where he is to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking to reporters in a br
AlbertaOct 07, 2025

Alberta teachers' strike, biggest in province's history, enters day two

As a provincewide strike by Alberta's teachers enters its second day, a labour expert says in terms of sheer size, it is already making history. Jason Foster, a labour relations professor at Athabasca University, says the strike by 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers' Association makes it the largest labour walkout in provincial history. Foster says the last teachers' strike was in 2002 and involved less than half that number, at 21,000. The current action affects more than 740,000 students across 2,500 public, separate and francophone schools. The two sides are at odds over
AlbertaOct 06, 2025

Alberta teachers say provincewide strike aims to fix underfunded system in crisis

Alberta's teachers are off the job and the head of their union says it's about taking a stand to fix a cycle of underfunding and overcrowding. Jason Schilling says Alberta is failing to adequately fund education, the system is in ``crisis,'' and teachers owe it to students and future students to do what they can to change that. The 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers' Association went on strike as promised this morning to back demands for a better deal. The labour action impacts more than 700,000 students across 2,500 public, separate and francophone schools. Premier Daniel
alberta-premier-smith-urges-talks-as-alberta-teachers-launch-provincewide-strike
AlbertaOct 06, 2025

Alberta Premier Smith urges talks as Alberta teachers launch provincewide strike

Alberta's teachers are off the job and PremierDanielle Smith is urging them to come back to the bargaining table. Smith, speaking to reporters in Montreal, says the two sides are not far apart and expects fixing classroom complexity issues to be the focus of future talks. The 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers' Association went on strike as promised this morning to back demands for a better deal. The labour action impacts more than 700,000 students across 2,500 public, separate and francophone schools. The teachers overwhelmingly voted against the government's latest offer, w
classes-suspended-in-alberta-as-provincewide-teachers-strike-set-to-begin-today
AlbertaOct 06, 2025

Classes suspended in Alberta as provincewide teachers strike set to begin today

Some 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers Association are poised to begin a strike today. The labour action, if it goes ahead, will impact more than 700,000 students across 2,500 public, separate and francophone schools. Most school boards _ including those in Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray and Lethbridge _ have sent notices telling families that barring an 11th-hour deal, classes would be paused beginning Monday. Both sides appeared far apart late last week but the union said Friday they had resumed ``exploratory conversations.'' Teachers rejected the government's latest offer
schools-set-to-close-as-alberta-provides-online-curriculum-ahead-of-teachers-strike
AlbertaOct 03, 2025

Schools set to close as Alberta provides online curriculum ahead of teachers strike

Schools across Alberta are preparing to close their doors while the province readies a home curriculum for students ahead of Monday's provincewide teachers strike. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides says the province has already put online a curriculum that parents can use to teach their children should the 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers' Association make good on their promise to walk out. Nicolaides says it's not fair that students would be forced to bear the brunt of the walkout, which would affect more than 700,000 students across public, separate and francophone sch

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chrystia-freeland-to-leave-parliament-for-senior-leadership-role-with-rhodes-trust-in-u-k
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Chrystia Freeland to leave Parliament for senior leadership role with Rhodes Trust in U.K.

Chrystia Freeland is preparing to leave federal politics next year as she moves to Oxford, England, to take up a senior leadership role with the Rhodes Trust. The educational charity confirmed that Freeland will become its next chief executive officer on July 1, overseeing one of the world’s most influential international scholarship programs. The organization administers the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings students from around the globe to study at the University of Oxford. Freeland’s appointment places her at the centre of an institution that has produced generations of leaders in publi
rain-and-snow-alerts-in-effect-as-coastal-and-northern-b-c-brace-for-strong-weather-system
BCNov 20, 2025

Rain and Snow Alerts in Effect as Coastal and Northern B.C. Brace for Strong Weather System

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a pair of weather alerts for communities along British Columbia’s north and central coast, warning that a strong frontal system could bring significant rain and heavy mountain snow through the end of the week. The agency says areas from Bella Coola through Kitimat may receive as much as 70 millimetres of rain, raising the risk of water pooling on roads and possible washouts near rivers and creeks. The system is expected to weaken by Friday, but officials caution that changing conditions may still affect travel across coastal corridors. While t
senate-approves-citizenship-reform-for-lost-canadians-as-advocates-raise-adoption-concerns
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Senate approves citizenship reform for ‘Lost Canadians’ as advocates raise adoption concerns

Federal legislation designed to address long-standing gaps in Canada’s citizenship rules has cleared the Senate and is expected to become law before a court-imposed deadline early next year. The bill aims to resolve cases involving so-called Lost Canadians – individuals born abroad to Canadian parents who were themselves born outside the country and who lost access to citizenship because of restrictive rules adopted in 2009. The changes come after the Ontario Superior Court ruled last year that the previous one-generation limit on citizenship by descent was unconstitutional. Under the upda
AlbertaNov 20, 2025

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta’s auditor general says the province’s attempt to shift community lab testing to a private operator resulted in significant financial losses and gaps in government oversight. A new report from Auditor General Doug Wylie estimates taxpayers absorbed roughly $109 million after the privatization effort collapsed. Wylie’s review found that senior officials in government advanced the plan despite internal warnings that the projected savings were unlikely. He says weaknesses in record keeping, financial analysis and contract oversight contributed to the breakdown of the agreement with D
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Two people dead and four others critically injured after early morning house fire in Brampton

Emergency crews in Brampton are investigating a deadly house fire that claimed the lives of two adults and left four others, including a child, in critical condition early Thursday. Peel Regional Police say the blaze erupted around 2:30 a.m. at a home on Banas Way, in a residential area near McLaughlin Road and Remembrance Road. Firefighters arrived to find the home heavily engulfed in flames. Two adults were pronounced dead at the scene. Police say three other adults and one child were transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Authorities have not released the ages of the victim