Social Studies Grade 12

Please review each article prior to use: grade-level applicability and curricular alignment might not be obvious from the headline alone.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Seven of the top 10 highest paid City of Winnipeg employees in 2025 were police officers.

Seven of city’s 10 best-paid employees work for police

Tyler Searle 3 minute read Preview

Seven of city’s 10 best-paid employees work for police

Tyler Searle 3 minute read Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026

The City of Winnipeg’s 2025 compensation disclosure document, released Friday, shows seven of the top 10 highest paid employees are police officers.

Winnipeg Police Service Chief Gene Bowers earned $313,467 during his first year in the position, coming second only to an unnamed police superintendent who took home $491,926.

Collectively, WPS members earned $2.1 million of the total $2.9 million paid to the city’s highest earners, equivalent to about 72 per cent. That includes a constable ranked No. 8 in the top 10 after earning $260,234 — more than outgoing Winnipeg Fire Paramedic chief Christian Schmidt (No. 9) at $255,036.

Schmidt’s successor, Ryan Sneath, who was appointed chief this week, earned $247,432 last year.

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Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel addresses Cuban Communist Party delegates in 2022 after his installation as party leader and national president.

Canada being side-swiped by Trump’s Cuba policy

Peter McKenna 5 minute read Preview

Canada being side-swiped by Trump’s Cuba policy

Peter McKenna 5 minute read Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026

Canada’s decades-long relationship with revolutionary Cuba has always been a three-country affair — with the United States frequently settling for the spurned third-wheel.

Since the early 1960s, successive U.S. governments have strenuously objected to Canadian trade and commercial engagement with the island. Officials in Washington have always believed that the Canadians were trying to make a “quick buck” at America’s expense, while simultaneously seeking to undermine the U.S. blockade of Cuba.

For almost 70 years now, Canada has had to negotiate the thorny issue of the U.S. trade embargo. Added to that was the anti-Cuba Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 and the still active 1996 Helms-Burton Law. Complicating matters further for Ottawa have been the various additions and subtractions to the unrelenting U.S. efforts to strangle the Cuban economy — particularly during the presidency of Barack Obama.

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a near-ironclad (some Russian oil is getting through), illegal fuel embargo against Cuba, using American naval vessels and U.S. Coast Guard ships. Additionally, he signed an executive order in early May to expand U.S. economic warfare, or what some call “secondary sanctions,” against those materially assisting the Cuban government.

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Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026
BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Jonathan K. waves an Israeli flag in front of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights during the protest, Friday.

Protesters denounce controversial exhibition at rights museum

Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Preview

Protesters denounce controversial exhibition at rights museum

Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

More than 200 people demonstrated outside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Friday evening to protest the exhibition about the mass displacement of Palestinians in the 1940s during the Arab-Israeli war.

Outside the museum at The Forks, the sidewalk was lined with people wearing white and blue clothing while waving Israeli flags and holding placards that denounced the display.

Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present focuses on the Nakba, in which an estimated 750,000 Palestinians were displaced between 1947 and 1949. The exhibition documents Palestinian Canadians’ experiences through art, photos and text.

One protester said she worries students and other groups who visit the exhibition will get a one-sided version.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
SUPPLIED Steve Bradley with a nice late season muskellunge. Species of considerable length, like pike, muskies and large lake trout must be held horizontally across the front of the subject or seated and supported by the angler’s legs.

Fish handling tips for fishes’ welfare and better photos

Patrick Nolan 6 minute read Preview

Fish handling tips for fishes’ welfare and better photos

Patrick Nolan 6 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Most of us who spend any appreciable time fishing have encountered those special moments when we want to capture a photograph of the catch that has just made it into the boat.

Numerous circumstances might be driving our desire to get that photo: a neophyte’s first fish, an exceptional catch, the so called “fish of a lifetime,” or any number of other factors that really can be determined only by the angler and the photographer.

Regrettably, many of us have also experienced varying levels of satisfaction with the images captured after we have released the fish to swim free, leaving the angler wishing for more, at which time it’s too late.

The good news is that with a little bit of forethought and planning, we can consistently take great photos of the fish we catch — with the fishes’ welfare of utmost interest, of course.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS The temporary exhibition Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present will be at the CMHR until 2028.
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Palestinian Canadians share keepsakes, memories in CMHR’s Nakba exhibition

Eva Wasney 5 minute read Preview
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Palestinian Canadians share keepsakes, memories in CMHR’s Nakba exhibition

Eva Wasney 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Fouad Sahyoun was four years old when his family fled their home in Haifa amid bombardment from encroaching Israeli paramilitary forces in 1948.

“We took a few suitcases and (some) money and we went to Alexandria. We were never allowed to go back,” said Sahyoun, a Palestinian Canadian living in Montreal. “When the money ran out, we became real refugees.”

The 82-year-old is one of an estimated 750,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced in 1948 following the partitioning of Palestine and during the creation of the State of Israel. This event is known as the Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic.

Sahyoun’s story and the deeds to his family’s seized property in Haifa are included in Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present, a new exhibition open to the public Saturday at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
Isabelle Masson, curator, views the new exhibit, Palestine Uprooted - Nakba Past and Present, that she created at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Friday, June 26, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
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Exhibit on displaced Palestinians set to open at human rights museum amid criticism

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview
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Exhibit on displaced Palestinians set to open at human rights museum amid criticism

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026

WINNIPEG - The head of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights says it's unfortunate a trustee resigned over an exhibit about displaced Palestinians but she stands by the decision for it to open to the public Saturday.

The exhibit, titled "Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present," focuses on people affected by the Nakba, Arabic for catastrophe. About 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced in 1948 during fighting over control of what is now Israel.

The exhibit has been in the works for four years, though Palestinian Canadians have been calling for their stories to be told at the Winnipeg museum since it opened in 2014.

Jewish groups have raised concerns that the exhibit could fuel antisemitism by not providing more historical context and that it was created without sufficient consultation and transparency.

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Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026
ETHAN CAIRNS / THE CANADIAN PRESS Just eight of the World Cup’s 48 teams entirely native-born. From left: Brampton’s Promise David, Nigerian-born, Mississauga product Tani Oluwaseyi, Toronto product Ali Ahmed and Langley, B.C., product Joel Waterman practise at Team Canada’s Friday camp.
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World Cup a mosaic of the human experience

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview
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World Cup a mosaic of the human experience

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

On June 13, the third day of the ongoing World Cup, Morocco played more than a quarter of its Group C match against Brazil without a single Moroccan-born footballer on the pitch.

Instead, the starting eleven deployed by manager Mohamed Ouahbi between the 64th and 89th minutes included players from Belgium, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Canada. (Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was born in Montreal.) Ouahbi, himself, hails from metropolitan Brussels.

According to the BBC, nearly 25 per cent of the players at this tournament were born in countries other than the ones they’re representing.

One of the more prominent examples of this experience is Luca Zidane.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
President Donald Trump arrives to speak at the Faith & Freedom Coalition's policy conference at the Washington Hilton, Friday, June 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
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A Trump commission urges ‘bridges’ between church and state in sweeping draft report

Peter Smith, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview
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A Trump commission urges ‘bridges’ between church and state in sweeping draft report

Peter Smith, The Associated Press 7 minute read Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026

A new report by a Trump administration commission suggests replacing the idea of separating church and state with the idea of building bridges between them.

The assertion — challenging a longstanding concept in American law — comes amid a raft of recommendations in a draft report of the Religious Liberty Commission, released Friday afternoon.

The advisory body was created by President Donald Trump last year and filled almost entirely by conservative Christians. The 224-page draft report — part policy document, part philosophical argument — echoes members' support for a stronger role for religion and religious expression in government, schools and the public square.

The report applauds recent Supreme Court decisions expanding rights to religious expression in public settings, such as creating opt-outs for religious objections to school lessons.

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Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026
FILE - The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cellphone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

OpenAI and Anthropic limit new AI models to Trump-approved customers during cybersecurity review

Matt O'brien, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

OpenAI and Anthropic limit new AI models to Trump-approved customers during cybersecurity review

Matt O'brien, The Associated Press 6 minute read Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026

ChatGPT maker OpenAI said Friday it is restricting the release of its new artificial intelligence model at the request of President Donald Trump’s administration, the latest in an unprecedented government vetting of AI products for cybersecurity risks.

Its chief rival, Anthropic, announced hours later that the Trump administration has approved a limited release of its strongest cybersecurity model, two weeks after the U.S. Commerce Department effectively banned it.

Both companies said their newest models would be available to small groups of trusted partners. OpenAI said its new AI product, called GPT-5.6 Sol, would be accessible only to customers approved by the Trump administration.

“We don’t believe this kind of government access process should become the long-term default,” OpenAI said in a statement. The company said it viewed the testing period as a temporary step on the “path to broader availability in the coming weeks.”

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Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026
Young people use their phones to view social media in Sydney, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)
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Most Canadian teens have seen violence, gore online: survey

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview
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Most Canadian teens have seen violence, gore online: survey

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Jul. 21, 2026

As Canada edges toward legislation meant to protect youths online, a new survey suggests most teens in the country have encountered real violence or gore on the internet.

Eighty-five per cent of the 1,007 teens who participated in an online survey in January commissioned by scholarly organization DIY: Digital Safety and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, reported seeing either form of brutality online.

More than 70 per cent had seen videos of physical fights, 65 per cent had viewed police violence, and 52 per cent watched someone being injured or killed in a war. Ten per cent reported seeing child sexual abuse material.

Half of respondents said they had watched footage of late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk being assassinated on stage at Utah Valley University last September, while 33 per cent had viewed mass or school shooting videos.

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Tuesday, Jul. 21, 2026
FILE - Three boys use their phones while sitting outside a school in Sydney, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

Australia plans to strengthen laws banning children from social media

Rod Mcguirk, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Australia plans to strengthen laws banning children from social media

Rod Mcguirk, The Associated Press 3 minute read Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government plans to strengthen laws that ban children younger than 16 from social media platforms, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Observers said on Friday the government was responding to evidence that the ban on young children holding accounts on platforms including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube had failed since it came into force on Dec. 10 last year. Australia was the first country in the world to pass legislation keeping youth off social media, but others have since followed.

Albanese told Parliament on Thursday this government was considering options to strengthen the ban.

“We’re working on that as a priority because this is something that other generations didn’t have to deal with, which is why it’s complex,” Albanese told Parliament.

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Saturday, Jun. 27, 2026
Aaron Epp / Free Press Shelly Bulycz, right, the newly appointed CEO at the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, with program manager Gabriel Louër after the organization’s annual general meeting at Red River College Polytech’s Notre Dame campus, Tuesday.

Indigenous Chamber of Commerce working to engage with members, increase membership

Aaron Epp 4 minute read Preview

Indigenous Chamber of Commerce working to engage with members, increase membership

Aaron Epp 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Shelly Bulycz is good at many things, but retirement is not one of them.

Last August, Bulycz retired from her job as manager of community based programming at University College of the North and moved from The Pas to Winnipeg. She soon grew restless and by the end of October, she’d landed a job as the executive assistant at the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce.

In April, the chamber appointed her to be its second-ever chief executive officer.

“I enjoyed retirement for a month and a half, two months, and then decided I needed a job,” Bulycz said. “The rest is kind of history.”

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
Designer Pharrell Williams accepts applause afte the Louis Vuitton men's Spring Summer 2027 collection presented in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
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Heat catches Europe’s fashion industry unprepared as models face the sun in fur and wool

Thomas Adamson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview
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Heat catches Europe’s fashion industry unprepared as models face the sun in fur and wool

Thomas Adamson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Sunday, Jun. 28, 2026

PARIS (AP) — The most coveted accessory at the Paris Fashion Week shows this week was not a bag, a sneaker or a watch. It was an ice pack.

As a historic heat wave gripped the French capital, fashion houses fought to keep guests cool with mist machines, chilled towels, parasols and iced Evian on silver platters.

It wasn’t enough. Historic venues sweltered, guests were packed in tight, air conditioning was absent or inadequate and water ran short — at one house, organizers weighed serving none at all, having found only plastic bottles to hand out.

That mattered because Paris Fashion Week is not a minor cultural event.

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Sunday, Jun. 28, 2026
Ioannis Lantounis, head of OroraTech's Greek operations, stands inside the company's Athens office on Thursday, June 18, 2026, as Greece integrates a new constellation of wildfire-detection satellites into its national firefighting system. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece bets on space technology to contain wildfires in a global first

Derek Gatopoulos, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Greece bets on space technology to contain wildfires in a global first

Derek Gatopoulos, The Associated Press 5 minute read Sunday, Jun. 28, 2026

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — In the searing Mediterranean summer, wildfires turn dangerous in minutes.

Greece has learned that at a terrible cost. In 2018, a blaze east of Athens moved with ferocious speed, killing more than 100 people. Five years later, a massive fire tore through a remote nature reserve; it was the largest wildfire ever recorded in the European Union.

Greece is looking to the heavens for help, with a dedicated satellite constellation that monitors for fires. It's a model for the continent as Europe races toward broader independence in space technology.

Four satellites, each smaller than a piece of carry-on luggage, were launched into low orbit in May. That made Greece the first nation in the world to integrate a dedicated satellite array into its national firefighting system.

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Sunday, Jun. 28, 2026
A worker drinks water as he sets up a stage for the upcoming Ironman triathlon, Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Europe’s extreme heat would be impossible without climate change, scientists say

Alexa St. John, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Europe’s extreme heat would be impossible without climate change, scientists say

Alexa St. John, The Associated Press 5 minute read Sunday, Jun. 28, 2026

The record-breaking heat that's scorching Europe day and night this month would not have been possible without climate change, according to a new study.

The World Weather Attribution rapid study released Friday found that the heat would have been virtually impossible just five decades ago, and is 200 times more likely today than it would have been 20 years ago.

Millions in France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe are experiencing extreme temperatures and humidity this week associated with a heat dome. Daytime temperatures have topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in many places, while high nighttime temperatures have also made it harder to cool down and recover.

The scientists estimated that a heat wave with similar characteristics occurring in the climate of June 1976 would have been about 3.5 degrees Celsius (6.3 Fahrenheit) cooler during the day and about 2 degrees Celsius cooler (3.6 Fahrenheit) in 2003. The nighttime temperatures would have been about 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 Fahrenheit) cooler in June 1976 and about 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 Fahrenheit) cooler in 2003.

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Sunday, Jun. 28, 2026
A Bible and Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy sit on the desk of State Board of Education member LJ Francis during a meeting on proposed social studies standards at the Barbara Jordan Building in Austin on Monday, June 22, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
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Bible stories are approved as required reading in Texas public schools

Jamie Stengle And John Hanna, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview
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Bible stories are approved as required reading in Texas public schools

Jamie Stengle And John Hanna, The Associated Press 5 minute read Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

DALLAS (AP) — Texas' education board on Friday approved a required reading list for more than 5 million public school students that includes Bible stories, widening conservative efforts to bring Christian teachings into U.S. classrooms.

The state-mandated list of assigned reading — which includes Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” and excerpts from the New Testament — appeared to be among the first of its kind of the nation and will take effect starting in 2030.

The State Board of Education, which is controlled by Republicans, approved the list on a 9-5 vote following weeks of contentious debate that again put Texas at the center of wrangling over the role of religion in public schools. Last year, Texas became the largest state to require teachers to hang the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

The board this week was also considering new social studies curriculum that draws lines between Bible stories and American history.

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Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

Time for city to get handle on e-bike, e-scooter regulations

Tom Brodbeck 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 25, 2026

Ever been out for a walk, a jog or a casual bike ride only to be startled by an e-bike, battery-powered scooter or some other personal electric vehicle flying past you at high speed? If so, you probably know how urgent it is for lawmakers to bring in regulations to respond to this growing phenomenon.

Winnipeg is facing a transportation challenge that barely existed a few years ago. Battery-powered bikes, scooters, electric unicycles and other similar vehicles have become common sights on city streets, cycling routes and multi-use pathways.

Their popularity is growing faster than the rules governing them. And that should be a concern for city hall.

There’s no question personal electric vehicles offer people significant advantages. They’re cheaper to operate than cars, produce no direct emissions, reduce traffic congestion and provide people with another option for getting around the city.

FILE - A shopper looks over Apple MacBook laptops on display in a Costco warehouse on June 2, 2026, in Sheridan, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Apple increases prices for Macs and iPads, blaming a shortage of memory chips

Barbara Ortutay, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Apple increases prices for Macs and iPads, blaming a shortage of memory chips

Barbara Ortutay, The Associated Press 2 minute read Thursday, Jun. 25, 2026

Apple on Thursday announced an increase in prices for Macs and iPads, citing a memory chip shortage brought on by the artificial intelligence boom.

The Cupertino, California-based company called the demand spike an “unprecedented challenge” for the consumer electronics industry.

“The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,” the company said in a written statement.

The new, entry-level MacBook Neo will now cost $699, up from $599. The 512 gigabyte MacBook Air now costs $1,299, up from $1,099. The one terabyte MacBook Pro is $1,999, up from $1,699.

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Thursday, Jun. 25, 2026
The shuttered Iranian embassy in Ottawa is seen after protesters hit it with anti-regime icons and red paint on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Carney says having no embassy in Iran puts Canada at ‘a disadvantage’

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Carney says having no embassy in Iran puts Canada at ‘a disadvantage’

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

OTTAWA - Canada is "at a disadvantage" in countries like Iran where it lacks a diplomatic presence, but his government is not looking to re-establish relations with Tehran, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Thursday.

"Engagement is not endorsement. Having an embassy, having consular services in a country does not mean we endorse the policies of that country," Carney told reporters Thursday.

Commenting on the deadly earthquakes in Venezuela during a Thursday press conference, Carney said not having diplomats on the ground in Caracas makes it hard for Ottawa to offer help to Canadians.

"There are a series of countries with whom we have not seen eye to eye, to put it mildly, where we do not have representation … Iran, Venezuela (are) two examples, there are others," he said.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, signs an MOU with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Carney coming to Calgary Stampede, carrying message that separation is no magic wand

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Carney coming to Calgary Stampede, carrying message that separation is no magic wand

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney is coming to next week’s Calgary Stampede, and plans to reiterate that quitting Canada will not be the magic wand separatists think it is.

Carney, taking questions from reporters in Ottawa on Thursday, said the fallout from the United Kingdom voting to leave the European Union a decade ago should serve as a clear cautionary tale.

"I saw firsthand what gets sold in these referenda, that everything's gonna be easy, that you can keep your passport, the currency — you can stay in the country and leave it at the same time," he said.

Carney said Alberta's vote comes when Canada is trying to be seen as a stable, reliable international trading partner.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
Saskatchewan NDP Leader of the Opposition Carla Beck speaks during a press conference before the release of provincial Saskatchewan budget in Regina, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu
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Saskatchewan NDP urges province to repeal pronoun law affecting LGBTQ+ youth

Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview
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Saskatchewan NDP urges province to repeal pronoun law affecting LGBTQ+ youth

Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Jul. 21, 2026

REGINA - Nearly three years after Saskatchewan's pronoun law came into effect, LGBTQ+ groups and the province's Opposition are warning of its consequences.

"We see concerns about incidents of discrimination going up," NDP Leader Carla Beck said at a news conference Thursday. "People (are) scared to talk about issues that would make students feel loved and seen and accepted."

In August 2023, Premier Scott Moe's Saskatchewan Party government imposed rules that require parental consent for children under 16 to change their names or pronouns at school.

The rules were challenged in court, but months later Moe's government invoked the notwithstanding clause and put them into legislation.

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Tuesday, Jul. 21, 2026
A WestJet plane on the tarmac at Yellowknife Airport on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Some airlines reduce fuel surcharges as oil falls, while others hold steady

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Some airlines reduce fuel surcharges as oil falls, while others hold steady

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

CALGARY - Some Canadian airlines are scaling back fuel surcharges as fuel prices fall, while others are holding steady for now.

WestJet Airlines says it has reduced its levy on companion vouchers to $40 from $60 per round trip or one-way fare.

Porter Airlines has cut the fuel surcharge for new reward flight bookings by half to $20, and says it will make further adjustments as conditions change.

Meanwhile, Air Canada is managing fuel costs through its regular fare structure, though a surcharge remains in effect on ground packages offered through its vacations business.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026
The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are seen from the Washington Monument, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says

Matthew Daly, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says

Matthew Daly, The Associated Press 6 minute read Tuesday, Jun. 30, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — A liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project, a top official at the National Park Service says.

The U.S. Park Police responded June 9 to a complaint by the park service, said Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service. Lands made the statement in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the Trump administration's work on the project.

His statement does not say when exactly the damage occurred or whether it was a suspected case of vandalism and does not identify anyone who might have been involved.

The police report indicates damage to the pool, "including a caulk over the foam sealant that was cut with a sharp knife or razor and destruction of delaminating surface material,'' Lands said. About 70 fence post tops also were thrown into the pool, he said.

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Tuesday, Jun. 30, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney cheers as players enter the field prior to the first half of a World Cup Group B soccer match between Canada and Switzerland, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Carney says he and Trump discussed defence priorities, Arctic ahead of NATO summit

David Baxter and Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Carney says he and Trump discussed defence priorities, Arctic ahead of NATO summit

David Baxter and Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump about efforts to protect the Arctic ahead of their attendance at the NATO summit in Turkey in two weeks.

Carney said the U.S. president called him Wednesday for a "long discussion" that involved other senior officials, including U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Carney said he and Trump also spoke about NATO, Iran and the broader situation in the Middle East. He declined to offer details but said the discussion touched on "both current and structural" issues.

"It was a very constructive conversation, those things we're working on together. I think those are best left until they come to fruition," Carney said.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026