In the news today: Stellantis’ move upsets union, conservatives win N.L. election

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Unifor decries Stellantis move to U.S.

A union representing autoworkers at Jeep’s Brampton assembly plant in Ontario says production that had been slated there is being moved to Illinois.

Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, said the move was included in a US$13-billion plan announced by automaker Stellantis on Tuesday to expand U.S. production by 50 per cent over the next four years.

The announcement came after U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said last week that the Trump administration’s goal is to end vehicle assembly in Canada and move those jobs south, Unifor said in a news release.

Lana Payne, Unifor’s national president, said saving the Brampton plant should be Canada’s top priority.

N.L. Tories say pocketbook issues won the election

Tony Wakeham, leader of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Progressive Conservatives, says Tuesday night’s election victory was particularly sweet because opinion polls had predicted another Liberal government.

Instead, voters in the province gave the Tories a slim majority after ten years of Liberal party rule.

As the final ballots were counted at the conclusion of the election campaign, Wakeham’s Tories won 21 of the legislature’s 40 ridings, a gain of seven seats. 

John Hogan’s Liberals were elected in 15 ridings as the New Democrats led by Jim Dinn doubled their seat count to two, and two well-known Independents were re-elected.

Alberta set to receive report into health 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 former head of AHS.

Teachers’ strike cancels education practicums

Haley Roberts loves working with children.

After coaching and mentoring kids as a swim instructor, the 22-year-old is pursuing a degree in elementary education at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

“It’s just quite fulfilling,” Roberts said Tuesday. “I’ve always known I wanted to be a teacher.”

But Roberts’ dream has been interrupted as thousands of educators take part in job action following a prolonged, nasty catfight between the provincial government and their union.

Parliament interpreters slam new procurement rules

The association representing professional interpreters is warning that Ottawa’s planned new procurement rules could convince many of them to shun work for the federal government.

The government is looking to make several major changes to the procurement of freelance interpretation services for Parliament and institutions like the Supreme Court.

The Canadian branch of the International Association of Conference Interpreters, AIIC-Canada, said those changes include eliminating a measure to protect interpreters’ hearing and adopting a “lowest bid” approach — replacing the “best fit” approach to procurement that considers applicants’ credentials and experience.

The government is also planning to start paying interpreters by the hour rather than by the day.

Jays fans arrive in Seattle for Game 3

Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays are taking planes, boats and automobiles to give their team some much-needed support against the winning Mariners in the American League Championship Series.  

Toronto is down two games heading into T-Mobile Park to play the Seattle Mariners for Game 3 in the best-of-seven series.  

Regular-season games in Seattle often have a home feel for the Jays, with fans in Western Canada making the trek across the border.

The Victoria Clipper has added a “Playoff Express” sailing between Victoria and Seattle for the games.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2025