B.C. chiefs tell MP Aaron Gunn to ‘chillax’ about land acknowledgments

VANCOUVER - The chiefs of four British Columbia First Nations have told Conservative member of Parliament Aaron Gunn to "chillax" after he criticized land acknowledgments referring to "unceded territory" at the start of public events.

In a joint statement, the chiefs from the Tla'amin, Homalco, K'omoks and Klahoose nations said that "harmless" land acknowledgments only recognized "the history of the place" where people held events.

The nations said that land acknowledgments "have never seized private property, cancelled a mortgage, repossessed a pickup truck or altered a single title deed anywhere in Canada."

"Chiefs from four First Nations communities are urging the public to please approach Aaron Gunn with no caution whatsoever," their statement issued on Wednesday said.

New government bill would help police, spy service probe online activities

OTTAWA - Proposed legislation would give police and Canada's spy service new powers to investigate online activities — powers they say they need to keep pace with criminals in the digital age.

The bill tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday would require internet and phone companies to tell authorities whether they provide service to a particular person or account number.

The legislation would allow police to then seek a production order from a court to obtain subscriber information from a company, such as the name, address, phone number and services provided.

The bill also updates warrant powers for computer searches and proposes a new authority to allow Canadian police to make requests of foreign electronic service providers, including social media and AI chatbot companies.

15,000-plus students regularly skip school across Manitoba, leaked documents show

Leaked government documents expose a troubling state of truancy in elementary and high schools across the province.

King Charles ‘expressed his concern’ over Alberta separatism in meeting: grand chief

EDMONTON - The grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations says King Charles "expressed his concern" after hearing about Alberta's separatist push in a face-to-face meeting with Indigenous leaders on Wednesday.

Grand Chief Joey Pete, who was part of a delegation of Treaty 6 chiefs who went to Buckingham Palace, said in a news release that the King was "very interested" in what the Indigenous leaders had to say.

"We made him aware of the separatism issue in Alberta and the threat to treaty it represents," the chief said.

"He expressed his concern and committed to learning more."

Union coalition demanding government action on downtown safety

Eight unions have joined forces to create urgency around worker concerns about safety — on the job and on their commutes — in downtown Winnipeg.

Canadian companies should create strategies for possible CUSMA outcomes now: report

TORONTO - As Canadian companies prepare for the coming review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, a new report from Boston Consulting Group says the talks could change the rules for a range of industries, including automobiles and digital services.

The report says that despite moves by the U.S. to impose higher duties on some Canadian and Mexican products, North American trade has remained relatively strong, with about 60 per cent of goods imported from those countries into the U.S. remaining duty-free. The formal review of the trade agreement, known as CUSMA, is set to begin in July.

"The U.S. is for almost every Canadian company, the largest export market if they export, and even if they don't export, the U.S. is such a huge source of imports to Canada, including for further value added, that the trade relationship between the two countries is critical for Canadian companies," said Michael McAdoo, a Montreal-based partner at BCG who specializes in international trade.

Companies can prepare for the outcome of the negotiations, the report says, by taking steps like establishing a tariff command centre to monitor the situation, along with working through potential scenarios that could impact their business.

TikTok to continue operating in Canada, subject to safety conditions

OTTAWA - TikTok is being allowed to continue its operations in Canada after the government wrapped up a national security review.

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says the decision hinges on key conditions, including for TikTok to bring in stronger protections for minors and the personal information of all Canadians.

The minister says the decision will also save jobs by ensuring TikTok Canada has a physical presence in the country.

The move reverses a 2024 order for TikTok to close its offices in Canada due to national security concerns.

Indigenous chiefs go to Alberta legislature, pressure province to nip separatism push

EDMONTON - More than a dozen First Nations chiefs and even more band councillors and elders were at Alberta's legislature Monday, calling on Premier Danielle Smith's government to stomp out the push for the province to quit Canada.

"Our rights are being minimized," Confederacy of Treaty 8 First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi told reporters.

"Our people are being minimized at every level."

The comments came after First Nations chiefs across the province unanimously called on members of the legislature to hold a non-confidence vote against the government in part for how it has handled the budding separatist movement.

Marc Miller says Musqueam deal has ‘nothing to do with’ private property

OTTAWA - Culture Minister Marc Miller says a rights acknowledgment agreement between the federal government and the Musqueam First Nation has "nothing to do with" private property.

He says instead that the agreement signed last month is a small step forward for a First Nation that has been fighting for its rights ever since British Columbia was settled.

The government says the agreement recognizes Musqueam Aboriginal rights "including title within their traditional territory," which the nation asserts is an area encompassing much of Metro Vancouver.

Critics have suggested the agreement could affect private property ownership, but Miller says right-wing parties have been using the issue in a "cynical attempt to try to whip up votes."

How the Iran war and surging oil prices are affecting consumers at the gas pump and beyond

NEW YORK (AP) — As the war in Iran ratchets up, the price of crude oil has been swinging sharply. Consumers are already feeling the effects of the war and its destabilizing effect on worldwide energy production.

Gasoline prices are climbing, and many people will find some of the most immediate economic pain at the pump.

But you don't have to drive a car to be affected. Nearly all goods — including food — that are bought and sold must travel from where they’re produced. Those costs will climb with higher gasoline, diesel and jet fuel prices.

And the spike in oil prices — surpassing $110 a barrel, then retreating — will likely be a big factor for U.S. inflation. As the war continues, some experts say the price of, well, everything could be affected.

Muslim community breaks fast at Grand Iftar to raise funds for people in Sudan, Gaza

Almost 300 people from the Winnipeg Muslim community assembled Sunday evening for a Grand Iftar to break their fast and to donate to those who are suffering in Sudan and Gaza.

The iftar — the evening meal served at sunset to break the daily fast during the month of Ramadan, which began Feb. 17 and continues until March 19 — was sponsored by the Manitoba office of Islamic Relief Canada, an international organization that provides humanitarian aid around the world.

A total of $71,000 was raised at the iftar, which will be used to provide food, vouchers, medicine, water and hygiene kits for people in Sudan, which is facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises due to conflict. Food and water will also be supplied to people in Gaza.

This is the fifth time Islamic Relief Canada has held a Grand Iftar during Ramadan in Winnipeg. About $100,000 was raised last year.

Australia grants asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women’s soccer team

GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Australia granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the Iran war began, a government minister said Tuesday.

The announcement followed days of urging by Iranian groups in Australia and by U.S. President Donald Trump for the Australian government to help the women, who had not spoken publicly about a wish to claim asylum. The team drew speculation and news coverage in Australia when players didn't sing the Iranian anthem before their first match.

Early Tuesday, police officers transported five of the women from their hotel in Gold Coast, Australia, “to a safe location” after they made asylum requests. There, they met with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and the processing of their humanitarian visas was finalized.

“I don't want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night it was joy, it was relief,” said Burke, who posted photos to social media of the women smiling and clapping as he signed documents. “People were very excited about embarking on a life in Australia.”

AI company Anthropic sues Trump administration seeking to undo ‘supply chain risk’ designation

Artificial intelligence company Anthropic is suing to stop the Trump administration from enforcing what it calls an “unlawful campaign of retaliation” over its refusal to allow unrestricted military use of its technology.

Anthropic asked federal courts on Monday to reverse the Pentagon’s decision last week to designate the artificial intelligence company a “ supply chain risk.” The company also seeks to undo President Donald Trump's order directing federal employees to stop using its AI chatbot Claude.

The legal challenge intensifies an unusually public dispute over how AI can be used in warfare and mass surveillance — one that has also dragged in Anthropic's tech industry rivals, particularly ChatGPT maker OpenAI, which made its own deal to work with the Pentagon just hours after the government punished Anthropic for its stance.

Anthropic filed two separate lawsuits Monday, one in California federal court and another in the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., each challenging different aspects of the government's actions against the San Francisco-based company.

Manitoba employers to provide free menstrual products

WINNIPEG - Many Manitoba employers will soon be required to provide their workers with free menstrual products.

Starting in August, provincially regulated workplaces will have to provide the products, such as pads and tampons, in washrooms or another accessible location, the government announced Monday.

The federal government implemented the requirement for workplaces it regulates in 2023.

Manitoba is the first province to make the move, which will make for healthier and more inclusive workplaces, the government said in a news release.

Volunteering at aviation museum sparks love of learning, sharing knowledge for former Air Force pilot

Gary Hook was a fighter pilot, commanding officer and senior flight instructor during his 43-year career in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Hook, 72, piloted more than 15 types of aircraft across Canada and Europe.

These days, the aviation buff volunteers as a tour guide and gallery interpreter at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, at 2088 Wellington Ave.

“There’s no shortage of good stories to tell about the aircraft, the people and the eras of aviation they flew in,” Hook says.

Newcomer school to close amid immigration clampdown

English-language teachers are warning the consequences will be far-reaching when a school for newcomers — called “a beacon of hope”— closes its doors.

Winnipeg’s Enhanced English Skills for Employment is shutting down March 31.

“It’s sad for the students. It’s sad for the teachers, but it’s also sad for the community, Manitoba at large,” said Allyn Franc, a longtime teacher at the school that rents space on the Canadian Mennonite University campus at 500 Shaftesbury Blvd.

For more than 20 years, the school has been running free intermediate-level language classes on literacy and workplace etiquette.

Transfer program adds to Manitoba First Nation’s bison population

The herd of bison that calls Chitek Lake Anishinaabe Provincial Park in Manitoba home just grew a little larger.

‘Free advertising for Winnipeg:’ stars put spotlight on city

Movie stars' unsolicited endorsements are among the most effective ways to build the reputation of Manitoba, which is increasingly becoming a destination for the film and travel industries.

Debate over a foreign spy service for Canada influenced by allies, money: study

OTTAWA - The decades-long debate over whether Canada should create a CIA-style foreign spy agency has been coloured by pressure from allies, budgetary restraint and internal federal rivalries, a new study reveals.

Much of the discussion about Canada's foreign intelligence aspirations has taken place — fittingly perhaps, given the subject matter — in classified memos and behind closed doors in the halls of government.

"To spy, or not to spy," a new paper by researcher and former Canadian intelligence analyst Alan Barnes, draws on recently released archival records to trace the history of official thinking on the question from 1945 to 2007.

Ottawa's fractious relations with Washington over the last year have prompted fresh conversations about whether Canada should have its own intelligence service that dispatches people abroad to covertly gather political, military and economic information.

Proposed law would create committee to probe intimate partner violence

The Manitoba government plans to launch a committee to review intimate partner violence, years after a similar group stopped operations.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe introduced proposed legislation Thursday that would require the committee to examine cases to identify trends in an effort to recommend ways to prevent intimate partner violence.

“The bill is a step toward… changing the culture to protect vulnerable Manitobans,” Wiebe said.

The Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Committee Act doesn’t specify how many cases the committee must review or a timeline for completion.

Farmers again caught in geopolitical crossfire

A week ago, things were looking up for Prairie farmers.

Canola prices were rising on news China would follow through on its promise to reduce its 75.9 per cent anti-dumping tariff on canola seed after Canada eased steep tariffs on imported EVs.

Those canola tariffs have now dropped to 5.9 per cent, plus the nine per cent standard import tariff already in place. While not zero, tariffs of just under 15 per cent make it possible to restore trade flows and maintain China as Canada’s second-largest canola customer.

As well, Canada’s prime minister was in India on another diplomatic defrosting mission with positive implications for agricultural exports. Any time the world’s largest exporter of pulse crops such as peas, lentils and chickpeas can make inroads into the world’s biggest market for those commodities, the sun shines a little brighter.

Show her the money

Slogans and even legislation only go so far in a world in which cash rules everything around us.

That remains true today, especially for women on the eve of International Women’s Day, commemorating the long fight for equality, rights and liberation.

Society has made strides, including legislation ensuring women receive equal pay for equal work.

It must also be recognized — especially on the financial ledger — more work needs to be done. Financial inequality remains a glaring sore spot.