EDMONTON - The Alberta government is amending its bereavement bill following criticism that it allowed leave for stillbirths and miscarriages but was silent on abortions. Labour Minister Kaycee Madu (KAY'-see MAH'-doo) has introduced a change to the bill that, if passed, would allow for three days unpaid leave in any pregnancy that doesn't end in a live birth. Madu says he has heard concerns from critics and other stakeholders to make the definition as broad as possible. Opposition N-D-P critic Sarah Hoffman says the change doesn't go far enough, and the United Conservative government must s

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder after a fellow student was stabbed in the library of a central Alberta school. RCMP say the boy is also charged with aggravated assault in relation to yesterday's attack at Pigeon Lake Regional School in Falun, about 80 kilometres southwest of Edmonton. He has been released on bail and is to appear in court in June. The 16-year-old victim is in stable condition in hospital and recovering after surgery. Cpl. Troy Savinkoff says the two boys, who are both enrolled as students at the school, know each other and investigators are trying to

A female firefighter and paramedic has resigned from Leduc Fire Services south of Edmonton over on-the-job harassment allegations. Megan Wright ended her seven-year career with a speech on Monday night to city council. Wright said she brought allegations of sexual misconduct to superiors and was questioned instead of getting support. In February, two other female firefighters filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the city with similar allegations of harassment, bullying, discrimination and abuse. At the council meeting, Mayor Bob Young called Wright's allegations alarming, but said he

Calgary police say they have charged a youth with second-degree murder in the death of a teen whose body was found in a suburban greenspace last week. Police say emergency crews were called last Wednesday to the Arbour Lake neighbourhood for reports of an injured person. There, they found the body of 16-year-old Jal Acor Jal. Police say the homicide unit canvassed the neighbourhood to collect any CCTV footage, spoke with potential witnesses and worked closely with Jal's family and friends. They say a search warrant was executed Tuesday at a home and a male youth was taken into custody. The su

Suncor Energy is facing criticism after announcing plans to divest its wind and solar assets to focus on hydrogen and renewable fuels instead. The move to sell eight wind power projects in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario comes as a new UN report on climate change says wind and solar technologies are the two best avenues to fight climate change. The Calgary-based energy giant, which has set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, says selling the assets will bring more ``fit and focus'' to its portfolio. But Greenpeace Canada says the timing of Suncor's announcement is akin to ``buyi

The association made up of Alberta's 69 counties and municipal districts has rejected a proposed plan to create a provincial police force. Premier Jason Kenney said late last year that a provincial force would increase service levels in rural areas, decrease overall policing costs and increase local input into policing. But Rural Municipalities of Alberta says the model proposed by the United Conservative Party government leaves significant gaps in how it would increase service levels in rural areas. The association says its members have already endorsed a resolution to continue supporting th

The Metis Nation of Alberta says the arrival of 20 wood bison at a site northeast of Edmonton was a historic moment. The bison, which came from Elk Island National Park last month, are part of an education and experience program led by the Metis Nation in partnership with the park. President Audrey Poitras says in a news release that bison are native to the Metis Crossing area, but were driven to near-extinction by settlers in the 19th century and ended Metis bison hunts. She says the return of bison marks a milestone in reconciliation. The bison will be released into the Metis Crossing Wildl

The archbishop of Edmonton says the apology from Pope Francis for the role the Roman Catholic Church played in the residential school system is just the first step on the road to healing. Archbishop Richard Smith, who was part of a delegation to the Vatican that included several Indigenous leaders, says the apology was a milestone and historic and is part of a springboard for reconciliation. The Indigenous groups involved in the delegation also requested the church provide reparations, return artifacts and share any documents about residential schools. Smith says although the pontiff has indi

In an effort to better protect the health and safety of women and girls, the Alberta government is working to strengthen legislation banning female genital mutilation (FGM) in the province. Bill 10, the Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act 2022, if passed, will mean health professionals and practitioners who perform or facilitate FGM would be removed from practicing medicine. Further, under Bill 10, if a health professional is convicted of having practiced FGM in another jurisdiction, they would not be allowed to practice in Alberta. Those who are witness to conduct r