CORRECTION: British royalty precedence protocol states that, in formal occasions, the Duke of Cambridge, William, must lead with Duchess following. Yahoo! Canada News regrets the error.

When making an entrance, gentlemanly behaviour dictates that women go first.

But when Prince William and his new bride Kate Middleton touched down in Ottawa for the start of their much-anticipated royal tour, the Duke left his Duchess in the dust.

Watch below as William not only gets out first but appears to forget to check if Kate — sporting heels and perhaps a little nervous for her North American debut — looks for a hand to hold.

It's not a huge gaffe, to be sure, but chivalry is all about the little things.

Of course, the newlyweds will spend time with a couple who know an awful lot about getting on and off planes — and optics — Stephen and Laureen Harper.

The Prime Minister is nearly always photographed holding his wife's hand when debarking, especially on the campaign trail. In addition to

Read More »from Prince’s entrance not exactly charming

When Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived in Ottawa Thursday, they were treated to more than just a typical welcoming party of politicians and local dignitaries.

Waiting on the airport runway was a dapper young man in a purple dress-shirt who happily handed Kate a bouquet of flowers while she leaned in to chat with him in his wheelchair.

His name is Kellen Schleyer, a nine-year-old from the Ottawa area. He's a fourth-grader from St. Jerome Catholic School, where his classmates couldn't believe he was going to meet the royal couple.

"Everybody was like: 'Are you really going to meet them?' and I say 'Yes! Yes! Yes!" Kellen told local Ottawa radio station CFRA.

He was selected by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson as one of two children who would "represent the future" of the Ottawa community at the historic event. Mayor Watson met Kellen at the opening of a local community centre, and asked him if he'd be willing to join him when he met the couple on June 30.

"He's a very bright young boy and

Read More »from Meet the youngest member of Will and Kate’s welcome party

Cities across Canada have grappled with efforts to move data from the file cabinets of city hall to the computers of the people.

A new municipal venture called Wellbeing Toronto has marked a new step in that direction, since it will allow users to research statistics about 140 different neighbourhoods, and compare how they stack up.

Information collected by Statistics Canada, local school boards and the city itself was compiled to give residents a sense of how their streets compare to other parts of Toronto.  The access could certainly transform how politicians decide to spend their money.

On the other hand, while the data could assist potential home buyers who want to settle around more trees or transit, detail about the number of car crashes or high school dropouts in one specific area might negatively affect property values.

Toronto had previously identified 13 "priority neighbourhoods" that were most in need of municipal investment. Critics claimed the designation stigmatized those

Read More »from Wellbeing Toronto website takes step in opening more data to local taxpayers

Everyone seems to be cashing in the royals couple's Canada visit and commemorative memorabilia is one of the more popular games going.

Thankfully, there is no mug gone wrong incident - yet - Will and Kate Stampede Pez dispenser, there's still a good selection of Canadian tour merchandise brewing.

Official tour coin
The Canadian Mint issued this 25 cent colour coin featuring the faces of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in full colour. It's larger than the average quarter to accommodate the image and costs more than 100 times a normal 25 cent piece ($25.95). If you're looking for something really special, check out this limited edition Will & Kate gold and crystal $200 coin that will sell for a little less than $1,200.

Official stamps
Want something a little bit cheaper but just as timeless? A stamp may be more your cup of tea. Canada Post recently issued royal wedding stamps in advance of the visit featuring the royal couple in their wedding regalia. To make it a proper keepsake, take

Read More »from Top souvenirs to get for Will and Kate’s Canadian visit

The radio brand name most synonymous with Canadian dentist offices had more of its novocaine wear off this week.

EZ Rock 97.7, an Ottawa station owned by Astral Media, announced it would change its format to Boom FM, a concept that originated in Quebec and replaced Toronto's EZ Rock 97.3 in late 2009.

When the "EZ Rock" handle was first attached to stations across the country in 1995 as a translation of the Quebecois "Rock Détente" format, it proved successful. Nonetheless, the once-popular 104.9 FM in Edmonton ditched the identity in February.

With its retirement in Ottawa, the EZ Rock positioning will no longer be found on the dial in any major market, although it has survived in some smaller B.C. and Ontario cities. But for how much longer?

While it lasted for about 14 years in Toronto and Edmonton, the Ottawa version took just 13 months to flame out after its debut in May 2010. EZ Rock's sleepier connotations didn't catch on with listeners in the capital city.

The new Boom 97.7

Read More »from EZ Rock radio signs off the air in favour of a more upbeat retro sound

Sears Canada President and CEO Dene Rogers.Sears has been told to shape up or prepare to ship out of the Canadian market.

The chain came under fire this week after a report from Dejardins Securities flagged showed how its market share has declined precipitously since 2005.

With competition for its hardware and appliance departments from Home Depot, Lowe's and Rona and Canadian Tire's purchase of the Foranzi Group's sporting goods and apparel business, fewer product categories remain available for Sears Canada to dominate as before.

And a further threat is expected to come from the other American stores that have recently planned northern expansions.

The potential disruption comes some 60 years after Sears first crossed the border. Now, the likes of Target and J. Crew have confirmed their first Canadian locations, with Macy's rumoured to follow.

Compared to competitors which have promised a specific vision for their new markets, the Chicago-based parent company has been criticized for heeding little attention to Canada.

The

Read More »from Will Sears department stores survive the Canadian invasion of other U.S. chains?

Dedicated royal watchers across the country are donning fascinators and baking crumpets in anticipation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's arrival.

Of course, the best party in town will take place on Parliament Hill, where Canadian musical acts like Great Big Sea and The Sam Roberts Band will  entertain the royal couple and hundreds of thousands of well-wishers and take in the extravagant fireworks show later that night.

If you're in one of the other parts of the country, though, you'll have to come up with your own way to mark the occasion. Here are a few ideas:

Join a local royal visit celebration
There are royal visit parties taking place across the country during William and Kate's visit. Check local newspapers, ask friends or scour online event calendars to find out what's happening in your community and how you can join the festivities.

Throw your own royal wedding party
It's relatively simple to pull together using some of the ideas left over from the royal wedding

Read More »from Best ways to celebrate Prince William and Kate’s visit to Canada

The ability to drive on just about every road in Canada without paying tolls is considered by many to be as sacred as health care.

However, as gridlock threatens to choke economic prosperity, and 20th century infrastructure continues to wear down, the calls have gotten louder to start charging motorists on some existing routes.

The most recent of those arguments was put forth by the Toronto Board of Trade. A new report has claimed that infrastructure underfunding now costs the regional economy $6 billion a year.

But the toll road idea wasn't welcomed by city councillor Doug Ford, advisor to his mayor brother Rob, who is a staunch opponent of pretty much anything perceived as an inconvenience to drivers.

Rather, the Fords believe that tunnels built and maintained by the private sector are the way of the future. There's also Hwy. 407, an electronic toll road which allows for a smoother ride across the Greater Toronto Area which has generally been considered a success since it opened in

Read More »from Road tolls might be an inevitability for drivers in Toronto and Montreal