Canada

Top court won't hear appeal on private health care

The Canadian Press 1 minute read 8:57 AM CDT

OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear a challenge of a British Columbia law intended to preserve public health care through measures against extra-billing and certain private insurance.

Two Vancouver private health facilities and four patients argued that provisions of the Medicare Protection Act violate constitutional rights due to long waits for care in B.C.'s publicly funded system.

They said this amounted to a breach of the patients' life, liberty and security of the person under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Three years ago, the Supreme Court of British Columbia dismissed the constitutional challenge.

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First Nations leader calls for landfill to close

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

First Nations leader calls for landfill to close

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 7:12 PM CDT

WINNIPEG - The leader of a First Nations advocacy group wants to see the Winnipeg landfill where the remains of two Indigenous women were found permanently shut down.

"I think given the circumstance, that it should be. It's not an isolated issue," Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said in a phone interview Wednesday.

"I know there are lots of (Indigenous women) that have been missing throughout time, and I'm pretty sure that some of those women are in the Brady landfill."

The Winnipeg homicide unit started an investigation after staff at the Brady Road landfill south of the city found the body of 33-year-old Linda Mary Beardy on Monday.

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Updated: Yesterday at 7:12 PM CDT

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Adrian Wyld / Canadian Press files)

NewsAlert: 14 Canadians on way home from Syria

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

NewsAlert: 14 Canadians on way home from Syria

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: 9:45 AM CDT

OTTAWA - The federal government says today it is bringing home four Canadian women and 10 children from prison camps in northeastern Syria.

The Canadians are among the many foreign nationals in Syrian camps run by Kurdish forces that reclaimed the war-torn region from the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The long-anticipated flight to Canada had been expected to bring more people home.

Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon reached an agreement with the federal government in January to repatriate six Canadian women and 13 children who had been part of a court action.

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Updated: 9:45 AM CDT

A general view of the Karama camp for internally displaced Syrians is shown, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022 by the village of Atma, Idlib province, Syria. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Omar Albam

Alberta regulator confirms toxins in waterbody

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Alberta regulator confirms toxins in waterbody

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 4:39 PM CDT

Alberta's energy regulator has confirmed hazardous chemicals are present in a small waterbody after two releases of tailings-contaminated wastewater from Imperial Oil's Kearl oilsands mine.

In an update released Tuesday, the agency said hydrocarbons and naphthenic acids have been found in an unnamed fish-bearing lake located almost entirely within Imperial's lease about 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray.

"Test results on April 3 identified the presence of F2 hydrocarbons and naphthenic acids at the two sampling sites closest to the seep location," said a statement from the regulator. "These components are potential indicators of industrial wastewater within ... a fish-bearing waterbody on the northeastern edge of Imperial's Kearl lease."

F2 hydrocarbons are lighter petrochemicals. Naphthenic acids are formed from the breakdown of petrochemicals and are typically found in oilsands tailings.

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Updated: Yesterday at 4:39 PM CDT

Alberta's energy regulator is confirming that hazardous chemicals are present in a small waterbody after two releases of tailings-contaminated wastewater from Imperial Oil's Kearl oilsands mine. Tailings samples are being tested during a tour of Imperial's oil sands research centre in Calgary on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Liberal MP slams own government's Israel response

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Liberal MP slams own government's Israel response

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 2:33 PM CDT

OTTAWA - A Liberal MP criticized her own government's response to Israel's right-wing administration amid police violence in Jerusalem on Wednesday, but her party shows no sign of going beyond expressions of concern.

Early Wednesday local time, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, as police fired stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled stones and firecrackers.

Toronto MP Salma Zahid posted on Twitter a video of Israeli police hitting Muslims with batons, saying there is a "direct line" between the violence and "provocations" by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which is propped up by right-wing parties.

"Canada cannot stand by and issue bland statements anymore," Zahid wrote.

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Updated: Yesterday at 2:33 PM CDT

Liberal member of Parliament Salma Zahid arrives at a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Vancouver seeks more space for displaced campers

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Vancouver seeks more space for displaced campers

The Canadian Press 1 minute read 8:38 AM CDT

VANCOUVER - A handful of homeless people set up tents overnight along a stretch of Vancouver's Hastings Street that was cleared Wednesday in a co-ordinated effort by city officials and Vancouver police.

Mayor Ken Sim ordered the long-standing encampment removed after the city's police and fire chiefs warned of escalating crime and an unacceptable fire risk.

At the camp's peak, about 180 structures covered the sidewalk along the busy street.

Now there are questions about where the displaced residents will go, and many have vowed to return to the only place they feel safe as soon as enforcement lifts.

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8:38 AM CDT

A man is seen inside his tent as police officers stand by while city workers clear an encampment on East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. A handful of homeless people set up tents overnight along a stretch of Vancouver's Hastings Street that was cleared Wednesday in a co-ordinated effort by city officials and Vancouver police. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Search suspended for man linked to dead migrants

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Search suspended for man linked to dead migrants

The Canadian Press 1 minute read 8:02 AM CDT

MONTREAL - Akwesasne Mohawk police say are suspending the organized search of local waterways for a man linked to the eight migrants whose bodies were pulled from the St. Lawrence River last week.

Police say they believe they have exhausted search efforts on the water for 30-year-old Casey Oakes and are set to resume normal patrol operations, unless they receive "actionable intelligence".

Oakes was last seen on the night of March 29 operating a boat found next to the bodies of two migrant families, one from Romania and the other from India.

Police say the families were trying to cross into the United States through Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, which straddles provincial and international boundaries and includes regions of Quebec, Ontario and New York state.

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8:02 AM CDT

MONTREAL - Akwesasne Mohawk police say are suspending the organized search of local waterways for a man linked to the eight migrants whose bodies were pulled from the St. Lawrence River last week.

Police say they believe they have exhausted search efforts on the water for 30-year-old Casey Oakes and are set to resume normal patrol operations, unless they receive "actionable intelligence".

Oakes was last seen on the night of March 29 operating a boat found next to the bodies of two migrant families, one from Romania and the other from India.

Police say the families were trying to cross into the United States through Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, which straddles provincial and international boundaries and includes regions of Quebec, Ontario and New York state.

A look at what's In The News for April 6

The Canadian Press 10 minute read Preview

A look at what's In The News for April 6

The Canadian Press 10 minute read 3:15 AM CDT

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what's on the radar of our editors for the morning of April 6 ...

What we are watching in Canada ...

Statistics Canada is set to release March employment data this morning.

The labour force survey will provide an update on how the labour market is faring amid high interest rates.

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3:15 AM CDT

A sign outside a building at Statistics Canada in seen in Ottawa on Friday, March 12, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

More than a million without power in Que., Ont.

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

More than a million without power in Que., Ont.

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: 7:02 AM CDT

A fierce storm system that brought thunder, lightning, snow and freezing rain to parts of Quebec and Ontario has left more than one million hydro customers still in the dark.

Québec City and Saguenay remain under a freezing rain warning, and Hydro-Québec said as of 7:30 a.m., power outages affected 1.1 million homes and businesses.

Montreal authorities reported numerous calls for downed trees, while Transport Quebec said weather conditions forced it to close the Victoria Bridge, which connects Montreal with its southern suburbs.

Via Rail issued a travel advisory, saying power outages and track obstructions caused service delays and cancellations in the Montreal-Toronto Corridor.

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Updated: 7:02 AM CDT

Fallen tree branches are shown on a street following an accumulation of freezing rain in Montreal, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Quebec's Roxham Road quiets down after agreement

Marisela Amador, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Quebec's Roxham Road quiets down after agreement

Marisela Amador, The Canadian Press 5 minute read 3:00 AM CDT

MONTREAL - About 12 hours after the closure of a rural southern Quebec road used by thousands of asylum seekers to enter Canada from the United States, Evelyne Bouchard witnessed RCMP agents escort a family of four people off her property.

Bouchard, whose farm is located about two kilometres from the forested pathway known as Roxham Road, says she is used to seeing police around her home; at times, she has found clothing and unknown footprints in the snow on her Hemmingford, Que., property.

In a recent interview, she said it was upsetting to see people being taken away so soon after the Canada-United States immigration deal closed Roxham Road to most would-be refugees.

"It's that contrast," she said. "This is like my happy place — my home. I love this place, and to think that someone in that same kind of physical space is feeling afraid and vulnerable and is possibly in danger is just completely heartbreaking."

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3:00 AM CDT

A sign advising people that entrance to Canada via Roxham road is illegal is shown on the Canada/US border in Hemmingford, Que., Saturday, March 25, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Humboldt marks five years since deadly bus crash

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Humboldt marks five years since deadly bus crash

The Canadian Press 4 minute read 3:00 AM CDT

HUMBOLDT, SASKATCHEWAN - Church bells are to ring today in Humboldt at the same time as the deadly bus crash brought unimaginable tragedy to the small Saskatchewan city five years ago.

The bells at St. Augustine Church are to toll 29 times — one for each person who was on the bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos on April 6, 2018. Sixteen people died and 13 were injured after a transport truck went through a stop sign and into the path of a bus carrying the Saskatchewan junior hockey team.

Celeste Leray-Leicht, who is part of the planning committee, said she feels better any time she can honour her son. Jacob Leicht was 19 years old when he was killed in the crash.

“He's part of everything we say and do and guiding us along the way," Leray-Leicht said.

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3:00 AM CDT

A memorial on the roadside where the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash took place is shown on Highway 35 near Armley, Sask., on Saturday, March 18, 2023. The city of Humboldt, Sask., along with members of the Broncos families, have organized a tribute service for people who wish to pay their respects for those who died in the crash five years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

Former PM Brian Mulroney has prostate cancer

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Former PM Brian Mulroney has prostate cancer

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:46 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is recovering after undergoing treatment in Montreal for prostate cancer.

His daughter Caroline Mulroney said Wednesday in a written statement that the family expects him to be "back to normal in the coming weeks."

Her office confirmed that he underwent treatment for prostate cancer.

The Toronto Star, citing an interview with one of his sons, Mark, said that the treatment began last fall.

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Updated: Yesterday at 5:46 PM CDT

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney speaks during an interview in Montreal, Tuesday, October 25, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

History of refusing Roma refugees still felt today

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

History of refusing Roma refugees still felt today

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:06 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Micheal T. Butch remembers meeting the couple at a Tim Hortons in 2021, with a mission to suss out whether they were truly Roma.

Florin Iordache and his wife, Cristina Monalisa Zenaida Iordache, passed the test. So Butch, the president of Toronto's Roma Community Centre, wrote a letter asserting their familiarity with Romani customs to support their asylum claim.

It was a step in proving they faced discrimination in their democratic home country of Romania, which is a member of the European Union.

Butch said he remembers breaking out in song to lighten a heavy moment during that meeting, crooning the Nat King Cole song "Mona Lisa." Cristina started "cracking up laughing," he recalled.

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Updated: Yesterday at 5:06 PM CDT

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney responds to a question from the media on the final day of the summer meeting of Canada's Premiers at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria on July 12, 2022. Roma advocates say discriminatory policies meant to keep families from making what then-immigration minister Jason Kenney called "bogus" refugee claims still have a lingering effect on families fleeing persecution. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. to boost minimum wage to $16.75 an hour

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

B.C. to boost minimum wage to $16.75 an hour

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:17 PM CDT

VICTORIA - British Columbia's minimum wage will increase to $16.75 an hour, a boost that the government says would fulfil a promise to tie the benchmark pay level to inflation.

The new minimum wage is to kick in on June 1, representing a 6.9 per cent increase from the current $15.65 an hour.

Labour Minister Harry Bains said Wednesday it is a key step to preventing the province's lowest-paid workers from falling behind.

"These workers and their families feel the impacts of high costs much more than anyone else," he said in a news release.

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Updated: Yesterday at 8:17 PM CDT

B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains listens to a question, in Surrey, B.C., on Monday, March 14, 2022. British Columbia's minimum wage is set to increase to $16.75 an hour, a boost that the government says fulfils a promise to tie the benchmark pay level to inflation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Man denies killing 13-year-old Burnaby, B.C., girl

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Man denies killing 13-year-old Burnaby, B.C., girl

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 7:35 PM CDT

VANCOUVER - A man accused of the first-degree murder of a Burnaby, B.C., teenager six years ago repeatedly denied killing the girl as his trial started Wednesday.

When asked for his plea in front of a B.C. Supreme Court jury, Ibrahim Ali said three times through a Kurdish-speaking interpreter that he "did not" kill the 13-year-old girl.

The B.C. Crown Prosecution Service informed The Canadian Press on Wednesday a publication ban had been placed on the girl's name.

Justice Lance Bernard clarified with Ali that his statements were a not guilty plea.

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Updated: Yesterday at 7:35 PM CDT

RCMP Cpl. Daniela Panesar places a photo of Marrisa Shen, 13, next to a map indicating where her body was found in Central Park, during a news conference in Burnaby, B.C., on Wednesday July 19, 2017. A man accused of the first-degree murder of the Burnaby, B.C., teenager six years ago repeatedly denied killing the girl as his trial started on April 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

One largely overlooked word in Trump case: 'tax'

James McCarten, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

One largely overlooked word in Trump case: 'tax'

James McCarten, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 4:24 PM CDT

WASHINGTON - Court documents in the case against Donald Trump, unveiled Tuesday after the former president's historic court appearance, have so far provided little clear insight into the prosecution's underlying legal strategy.

A single phrase in the statement of facts — "for tax purposes" — may offer an important clue.

Trump and his operatives designed a hush-money scheme to protect his 2016 campaign against claims of extramarital sexual encounters, the documents allege — a plan that was carried out by former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen.

Trump now faces 34 counts of falsifying business records "to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election," reads the statement of facts.

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Updated: Yesterday at 4:24 PM CDT

Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment in New York, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Trump surrendered to authorities ahead of his arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Andrew Kelly, POOL

'Preposterous' delay for Canadian in Syria: lawyer

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

'Preposterous' delay for Canadian in Syria: lawyer

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 2:54 PM CDT

OTTAWA - A lawyer working to bring a Quebec woman home from a Syrian prison camp along with her six children says it is "preposterous" that her departure is being held up by the government's failure to complete her security assessment.

Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon says he has asked Global Affairs Canada to take the necessary, urgent steps to allow the mother to come home with her young children.

He is hoping for the green light soon, as at least 19 other Canadians detained in Syria — six women and 13 children — are expected to board a flight to Canada imminently.

"My information is they're on the move," said Greenspon, who represents the families. "I'm waiting to hear from (Global Affairs) that they are in the air."

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Updated: Yesterday at 2:54 PM CDT

Women walk in Roj detention camp in northeast Syria Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. A lawyer working to bring a Quebec woman home from a Syrian prison camp along with her six children says it is "preposterous" that her departure is being held up by the government's failure to complete her security assessment. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Baderkhan Ahmad

Vancouver pulls down tent encampment amid protests

Nono Shen and Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Preview

Vancouver pulls down tent encampment amid protests

Nono Shen and Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 6:32 PM CDT

VANCOUVER - The garbage trucks moved slowly down Hastings Street, to the shouts and protests of residents of a homeless encampment on the sidewalks of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Into the compactors went tents, suitcases, mattresses and furniture, crushed with bags of garbage and other detritus.

The implementation of a city decree to clear the encampment on Wednesday, backed by dozens of a police, was met with frustration from residents and their advocates who wonder where they'll sleep next, even as the city says it's too unsafe to stay.

Police and city staff rolling rubber tubs labelled "personal belongings" arrived on Hastings Street on Wednesday to dismantle about 80 tents and other structures that lined the sidewalks.

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Updated: Yesterday at 6:32 PM CDT

Tents are seen on the sidewalk in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C., Monday, April 3, 2023.The City of Vancouver says it has asked police to help bring a tent encampment in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood to a close.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Lametti says draft plan on UNDRIP 'not perfect'

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Lametti says draft plan on UNDRIP 'not perfect'

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 4:08 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Justice Minister David Lametti said Wednesday he knows the government's draft action plan for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is not perfect.

"It is not perfect. It is not final. It is not complete," he told a special gathering of Assembly of First Nations chiefs.

"There's a lot missing in there that needs to be improved."

The national advocacy voice for more than 600 First Nations across Canada staged the meeting so chiefs could vote on a batch of draft policy resolutions and debate the proposed action plan that Lametti's department released last month.

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Updated: Yesterday at 4:08 PM CDT

Minister of Justice David Lametti leaves after appearing before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in Ottawa, on Wednesday, March 29, 2023Justice Minister David Lametti says he knows the government's draft action plan for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is not perfect. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Man extradited to U.S. on human smuggling charges

Jacob Serebrin, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Man extradited to U.S. on human smuggling charges

Jacob Serebrin, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 2:09 PM CDT

MONTREAL - Federal prosecutors in the United States say an Indian man living in Canada was paid thousands of dollars to smuggle other Indian nationals into the U.S. through the Akwesasne Mohawk reserve.

Simranjit (Shally) Singh, 40, appeared in an Albany, N.Y., court Friday to face six counts of alien smuggling for profit and three counts of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for profit, a day after he was extradited from Canada.

The case is not connected to the deaths last week of eight people — including four Indian nationals — who were attempting to illegally cross into the United States from Canada through Akwesasne, about 130 kilometres southwest of Montreal. But it sheds light on alleged human smuggling through the Mohawk territory straddling the Canada-U.S. border, where police say they have intercepted 80 people — mostly of Indian and Romanian descent — trying to enter the United States illegally since January.

A statement from the U.S. attorney's office for the Northern District of New York says the charges stem from Singh's "involvement and facilitation of the smuggling of Indian nationals from Canada into the United States, via Cornwall Island and the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reservation in the St. Lawrence River region, from at least March 2020 through March 2021."

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Updated: Yesterday at 2:09 PM CDT

A police helicopter searches the area in Akwesasne, Que., Friday, March 31, 2023. Federal prosecutors in the United States say an Indian man living in Canada was paid thousands of dollars to smuggle other Indian nationals into the U.S. through Akwesasne Mohawk reserve. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Landfill staff praised after woman's body found

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Landfill staff praised after woman's body found

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:15 AM CDT

OTTAWA - The federal minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous relations is praising workers at a Winnipeg landfill for their "heightened vigilance" after the remains of an Indigenous woman were discovered there on Monday.

Marc Miller also says a study into the feasibility of searching a different Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two other Indigenous women will be completed in the coming weeks.

The Winnipeg homicide unit says it has launched an investigation after staff at the Brady landfill south of Winnipeg found 33-year-old Linda Mary Beardy's body on Monday afternoon.

Winnipeg police do not believe the case is linked to the death of Rebecca Contois, whose remains were found in the same landfill last year, or the killings of three other women.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:15 AM CDT

Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, is during an announcement in Ottawa, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. The federal minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous relations is praising workers at a Winnipeg landfill for their "heightened vigilance" after the remains of an Indigenous woman were discovered there on Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Salad kit recalled over undeclared ingredients

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Salad kit recalled over undeclared ingredients

The Canadian Press 1 minute read 3:09 AM CDT

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for President's Choice brand Chopped Sesame Wonton Salad Kit because the product contains multiple ingredients not declared on the label.

The agency says the kit contains mustard, egg and milk that are not listed in the product's ingredient list.

The salad kits were sold in 347 gram packages, with a best before date of April 9, 2023.

The kits were distributed throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

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3:09 AM CDT

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for President's Choice brand Chopped Sesame Wonton Salad Kit because the product contains multiple ingredients not declared on the label.

The agency says the kit contains mustard, egg and milk that are not listed in the product's ingredient list.

The salad kits were sold in 347 gram packages, with a best before date of April 9, 2023.

The kits were distributed throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Experts say premier must explain call with accused

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Experts say premier must explain call with accused

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:02 PM CDT

EDMONTON - Premier Danielle Smith must explain to Albertans why she discussed a criminal case with the accused before his trial, whether she still believes such calls are OK and whether she will continue to have these conversations, legal experts and political scientists say.

They say the premier's actions are a violation of the democratic firewall separating politicians from court cases and that Smith's strategy to stay silent and threaten to sue media ensures the controversy will be alive for the upcoming election campaign.

Smith has declined to answer questions from reporters surrounding a leaked phone conversation in which she offered to help Calgary street pastor Artur Pawlowski in his criminal case related to the COVID-19 protest at the Canada-United States border crossing at Coutts, Alta., in early 2022.

In the call, Smith discussed the disposition of other cases with Pawlowski. She revealed to him internal government disagreements over case strategy, commiserated with him that he was being treated unfairly by the prosecutor through a late-day “document dump" and told him the charges against him were politically motivated.

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Updated: Yesterday at 5:02 PM CDT

Legal experts and political scientists say Premier Danielle Smith must explain to Albertans why she discussed a criminal case with the accused before his trial, whether she still believes the call was OK, and whether she will continue making such calls. Smith speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Network in Ottawa on Thursday, March 23, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

First Canadian dire wolf fossil confirmed

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

First Canadian dire wolf fossil confirmed

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 1:01 PM CDT

Canada now has its first dire wolf.

For the first time, a Canadian fossil has been confirmed as coming from the Ice Age predator featured in the TV series "Game of Thrones." The specimen, from near Medicine Hat in southern Alberta, was tentatively identified decades ago but a team from the Royal Ontario Museum used new technology to finally lock it down.

"It had never been fully described," said evolutionary biologist Ashley Reynolds, lead author of the paper published in the Journal of Quaternary Science. "This had never been done for this specimen."

It wasn't easy. The entire specimen, between 25,000 and 50,000 years old, consists of one jaw, badly crushed, with some remaining teeth.

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Updated: Yesterday at 1:01 PM CDT

An artist's impression of a dire wolf (Canis dirus) is seen in an undated handout photo. A team from the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto has used new technology to positively identify a fossil of a dire wolf which was found in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-ROM, Danielle Dufault, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Carbon price aid for small business lagging

Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Carbon price aid for small business lagging

Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 3:54 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Small businesses in Canada have received less than 10 per cent of the financial aid they were promised to help them offset the costs of the national price on carbon emissions.

When the federal Liberals laid out their carbon price plan in 2018, they promised it would be revenue neutral, with 90 per cent of the proceeds from the consumer fuel levy returned to households through cash rebates.

Small and medium-sized businesses were to get seven per cent of the revenues to help fund projects to lower their use of fossil fuels, both curbing their greenhouse-gas emissions and their carbon-price costs.

The government's annual reports on carbon pricing revenues show that during the first three years of federal carbon pricing, between April 2019 and March 2022, Ottawa collected more than $12.8 billion from the carbon levy.

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Updated: Yesterday at 3:54 PM CDT

People shop in the Glebe community of Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. Small businesses in Canada have received less than 10 per cent of the financial aid they were promised to help them offset the costs of the national price on carbon emissions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

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