CanadaOct 11, 2024
Alberta oilfield company fined $90,000 after worker severely burned in 2021 fire near Valleyview
O’Reilly Oilfield Services Ltd. has been fined $90,000 after pleading guilty to failing to protect the health and safety of workers under its supervision, following a 2021 oilfield fire that left one worker with severe burn injuries in northwest Alberta.
According to the Alberta government, the incident occurred in July 2021 at an oil and gas site near Valleyview, when liquid from a decommissioned pipeline ignited and overflowed from a portable flare stack, sparking a fire that seriously injured a worker.
As part of the sentencing, Crown prosecutors withdrew five other charges against O’Re
CanadaOct 10, 2024
Trudeau applauds Thailand for legalizing gay marriage during meeting at ASEAN summit
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Thailand’s new prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on her country’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage, calling it a remarkable step forward for human rights in Asia.
Trudeau made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with Shinawatra while attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Vientiane, Laos. He said Thailand’s progress stands out “at a time when rights are backsliding around the world,” describing Shinawatra’s leadership on marriage equality as “exceptional.”
Thailand’s landmark marriage e
CanadaOct 10, 2024
Quebec government tables legislation to limit number of international students
The Quebec government has introduced new legislation that would give it the authority to cap the number of international students studying in the province, part of a broader effort to reduce the rapidly growing number of non-permanent residents.
Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge said the number of foreign students in Quebec reached 120,000 last year, up sharply from 50,000 in 2014. Over the past two years, the province’s total non-permanent resident population has doubled - from about 300,000 to 600,000 - prompting the government to take what it calls “necessary corrective action
CanadaOct 10, 2024
Alberta UCP welcomes MLA who compared transgender kids to feces back into caucus
An Alberta MLA who was expelled from the United Conservative Party caucus last year for comparing transgender children to feces has been reinstated after issuing a public apology and pledging to support inclusivity.
Lacombe–Ponoka MLA Jennifer Johnson said she has grown “personally and professionally” since being removed from caucus 17 months ago. “Now, I am eager to apply what I have learned to benefit everyone who calls this province home,” Johnson said in a statement released Friday.
Johnson was removed from the UCP in 2023 after a 2022 recording surfaced in which she compared tra
CanadaOct 10, 2024
Joly, Mendicino to appear at foreign interference inquiry today
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and former public safety minister Marco Mendicino are set to appear today before the federal commission of inquiry examining foreign interference in Canada’s democratic and institutional affairs.
The latest phase of the inquiry is focusing on how well federal agencies detect, assess, and respond to attempts by foreign actors to influence Canadian politics, policy, and society. Officials from Global Affairs Canada, Joly’s department, testified late last week about the challenges of monitoring and countering international interference efforts.
Commissio
CanadaOct 10, 2024
Hospital system apologizes after Brampton Sikh man's beard shaved
The William Osler Health System in Brampton has issued a public apology after hospital staff shaved the beard of an 85-year-old Sikh man without his consent, an act that violated his religious beliefs.
In a joint statement released Wednesday, Dr. Frank Martino, president and CEO of the William Osler Health System, and board chair Pardeep Singh Gill admitted the hospital “failed to uphold religious and cultural care practices.” They said the incident, which occurred in August, was done without medical necessity.
“We take full responsibility for this incident and have extended our deepest
CanadaOct 09, 2024
Boissonnault appointed to lead federal government's effort to rebuild Jasper
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault to oversee the federal government’s role in helping rebuild Jasper, Alberta, following this summer’s devastating wildfire.
The July fire destroyed roughly one-third of the Rocky Mountain community, displacing about 2,000 residents and causing extensive damage to homes, businesses, and local infrastructure. Boissonnault, who represents Edmonton Centre in Parliament, will coordinate federal support alongside the Alberta government, the Municipality of Jasper, and Indigenous partners.
“This role that the prim
CanadaOct 09, 2024
Foreign affairs minister urges Canadians to leave Florida ahead of devastating storm
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is urging Canadians currently in Florida to leave immediately and warning others to postpone travel plans as Hurricane Milton moves toward the state’s west coast.
The storm, downgraded early Thursday to Category 4 strength, is still expected to bring deadly storm surge, torrential rain and destructive winds. Milton is forecast to make landfall later today in the Tampa Bay region — home to more than 3.3 million people — before moving east through Sarasota, Orlando and Daytona Beach.
Millions of residents have been ordered to evacuate as emergency cre
CanadaOct 09, 2024
Premier Danielle Smith’s key strategist on Alberta addiction recovery policy to exit role
One of Premier Danielle Smith’s closest advisers and a key figure in shaping Alberta’s addiction recovery model is leaving the provincial government. The premier confirmed that her chief of staff, Marshall Smith, will retire from public service at the end of October.
Marshall Smith has played a central role in developing Alberta’s recovery-oriented approach to the drug crisis, which emphasizes treatment and rehabilitation over harm-reduction measures such as supervised consumption sites. The strategy has been both praised for expanding treatment capacity and criticized by public health e
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