- NewsCBC
Council can't grant Ford's request to put anti-gangs and guns funding on special meeting agenda, Tory says
In an open letter to Toronto's mayor, Premier Doug Ford asked city council to discuss increasing funding to address guns and gangs at its special meeting next Monday. The special meeting was scheduled to discuss legal options for challenging Ford's recently-passed Bill 5, which slashes the number of city councillors from 47 to 25. Tory responded with his own open letter Friday afternoon, saying he's committed to matching the funding but also reminding the premier that changing the special meeting agenda is not possible.
- NewsCBC
Edmonton police chief undecided on LGBTQ apology, memo says
There is "no clear agreement or resolution" on whether the Edmonton Police Service should deliver an apology to the LGBTQ community, according to an internal police memo from Chief Rod Knecht. "While some want an apology, others believe we have moved beyond the need for one, and that an apology would actually be a setback," Knecht wrote in the memo. A police spokesperson told CBC News that Chief Knecht was unavailable for an interview.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
'There's been a lot of devastation:' man whose family lost homes in B.C. fire
Residents of a tiny northwestern British Columbia town ravaged by a massive wildfire are determined to extinguish the flames and rebuild their community, family members say. Dan Edzerza Sr. and his daughter Kristina Michaud are collecting donations of money and dried goods for evacuees after a 360-square-kilometre blaze destroyed more than 40 homes and properties in Telegraph Creek. "There's been a lot of devastation there," said Edzerza, speaking from Prince George, B.C.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
In the news today, Aug. 17
U.S. President Donald Trump is suggesting Canada has deliberately been left on NAFTA's sidelines as one-on-one talks heat up between Washington and Mexico. For four straight weeks, the U.S. and Mexico have held bilateral negotiations without Canada at the table. Some observers say the Canadian freeze-out is a tactic and that Canada could be forced into accepting a deal reached between the U.S. and Mexico.
NewsCBCAlleged Fredericton gunman tweeted about death of Moncton Mounties
The man accused of murdering four people in Fredericton, including two police officers, tweeted often about first-person shooter video games and, four years ago, about the deaths of three Moncton Mounties during that city's shocking shootings. Matthew Vincent Raymond was active on Twitter for about four years using the username "ColtC8," also the name of a powerful, military-grade carbine. Two days after Justin Bourque shot and killed three RCMP officers on June 4, 2014, in Moncton, N.B., Raymond tweeted his agreement with a user who said the shooter's name should not be trending on Twitter.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
US ends Syria stabilization funding, cites more allied cash
The Trump administration is ending funding for Syria stabilization projects as it moves to extricate the U.S. from the conflict, citing increased contributions from anti-Islamic State coalition partners. The State Department said it had notified Congress on Friday that it would not spend some $230 million that had been planned for Syria programs and would instead shift that money to other areas. Most of that money, initially pledged by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in February, had been on hold and under review since he was fired in March.
- BBC News
'Nothing in the Koran about face masking’
The British imam Dr Taj Hargey says when people say facial masking is part of Islam "that clearly is a lie". He told Hardtalk's Stephen Sackur: "Repeating a lie ad infinitum doesn't make it the truth". Dr Harjey, who founded the Muslim Educational Centre in Oxford and the Open Mosque in Cape Town recently defended Britain's former foreign secretary Boris Johnson over his criticism of the burka saying he should "not apologise for telling the truth".
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Judge lifts publication ban, revealing details about Fredericton shooting
A New Brunswick judge has lifted a publication ban on court documents related to the Fredericton shooting that killed four people, revealing details about how the deadly attack unfolded. The province's Court of Queen's Bench had issued the ban on Monday — hours after media reported on their content — imposing an information blackout on the sequence of events that claimed the lives of Bobbie Lee Wright, Donnie Robichaud and Fredericton police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns. The Crown information sheet says around 7:20 a.m. last Friday, a woman called 911 to report shots fired at 237 Brookside Drive.
- NewsCBC
Former Liberal MLA seeking Alberta Party nomination
A former Alberta Liberal MLA who hasn't held office for a decade wants to run in the next year's provincial election, but not for his old party. Instead, Mo Elsalhy is seeking the Alberta Party nomination in Edmonton-South West. "I just feel the Alberta Party has a lot of potential and a lot of opportunity in 2019, and I am hoping to put my energy where there might be an outcome," Elsalhy said in an interview Thursday with CBC News.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Military calls of Alberta search after missing Cessna 172 found, pilot dead
The Royal Canadian Air Force says the search for a missing pilot and his Cessna 172 has ended with the discovery of the light plane and a body in a wooded area northwest of Edmonton. "The search for missing pilot Scott Schneider has ended with the discovery of his Cessna 172," the military said in a release Thursday night. The military deployed Hercules aircraft and helicopters to search the rural area between the two communities.
- NewsCBC
Driver reaches for sandwich, rolls vehicle
RCMP on P.E.I. are reminding motorists to stay focused on the road, after an incident involving a distracted driver Thursday. RCMP Sgt. Leanne Butler said the incident serves as a reminder that while using a cell phone while driving is illegal, there are other kinds of distracted driving that can be just as dangerous.
- NewsCBC
Parents accuse Balmoral Hall of hefty, unfair bills after withdrawing before school starts
A group of parents say a prominent private school in Winnipeg was not transparent with them about the thousands of dollars they would owe should they decide to withdraw their daughters from the school. "If we don't fight for this, there'll be more parents like me in the future," said Yu Wang. The father claims he had no idea that when he registered his daughter at Balmoral Hall School, he could be on the hook for $8,600 even if he cancelled enrolment months before the start of class.
- NewsCBC
Christabel Nettey set to secure berth in Diamond League final following health scare
With her performance slipping and confidence sagging, a reluctant Christabel Nettey had little choice but to listen to her body. Nettey, who jumped 6.54 two weeks later in London before taking nearly a month off, will return to England for Birmingham's Müller Grand Prix on Saturday (CBCSports.ca, 9 a.m. ET) in hopes of securing enough points to earn a spot for the Diamond League final later this month.
- NewsCBC
CNE kicks off behind a picket line as labour dispute looms large
The 140th CNE kicked off at 10 a.m. with a procession of mounted Toronto police and a military band. Both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Mayor John Tory were on hand. Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 58, which provides technical and staging expertise for venues at Exhibition Place, have been locked out since July 20.
- NewsCBC
Saskatoon girl's lemonade stand raises $40K for cystic fibrosis research
Cassidy Evans was only five years old when she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Five years after setting up a lemonade stand, the Saskatoon girl has raised $40,000 for research into the inherited genetic disorder. "I was supportive and excited when she told me she wanted to have a lemonade stand when she was five — but she was five!" said Cassidy's mother, Kimberly Evans.
- NewsCBC
Wanted: New use for old school
The P.E.I. government is looking for proposals for new uses for the old Fortune Consolidated School near Souris. The P.E.I. Department of Public Works is accepting proposals from both for-profit and not-for-profit groups. "The building just recently became surplus so the building still has some potential," said Alan Maynard, the director of public works and planning.
- NewsCBC
'This just adds to the stress': Respiratory therapy students out $900 fee after licensing test cancelled
Hundreds of respiratory therapy students across the country won't be holding their breaths for the full refunds they were promised after a massive computer failure forced the cancellation of their licensing exam last month. Yardstick Assessment Strategies administers the national exam for the Canadian Board for Respiratory Care. Anyone who wants to be a licensed respiratory therapist (RT) needs to take the test to ensure they can evaluate and treat patients with cardiopulmonary issues in everyone from newborns to the elderly — mostly in hospital intensive care units, emergency departments and operating rooms.
- NewsCBC
Potential refugee sponsors have a month to use new fund
The administrators of a private fund to help sponsor 1,000 refugees to come to Canada this year are encouraging people to organize in the next month to take advantage of the money. About 80 people attended an information session at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Ottawa to learn more about what they would need to do to help people resettle in Canada. Stephane Telka said a group of friends were talking about forming a sponsorship group and having access to financial support made a big difference.
- NewsCBC
Meet the six-year-old drummer proving you're never too young to rock out
Judah Kays may be only be six years old, but he's already wowing family and friends with his skills on the drum set. "[Judah] spent a lot of time with us when he was younger ... and he hopped on the drum kit then and he just seemed to have a feel for it," said Judah's grandfather Albert Kays, who's also a drummer. For the last two years, Judah has been refining his skills during weekly lessons. As a musician himself, Kays says he's happy to see his grandson pick up the sticks.
- NewsCBC
STM maintenance workers to begin refusing overtime starting Saturday
Maintenance employees of Montreal's transportation authority (STM) will begin a month-long overtime strike Saturday and that strike is expected to slow bus services across the network. Consequences of the strike should mainly be felt on the bus network on "certain" bus routes, the website states. "We expect the impact to be felt as the weeks go by, given the backlog of work to be done on vehicles during the upcoming peak period (late summer and fall), when the transit system is in high demand," the STM stated.
- NewsCBC
STM to launch study into protective barriers on Metro platforms
Montreal's public transit authority (STM) will launch a study next year into protective barriers it says will prevent people from entering the Metro tunnels, and objects from falling onto the tracks. The STM says once those stations are complete, there will be an increase in ridership and platforms on the Orange Line will become more crowded than usual. A researcher at the Université du Québec à Montréal says the barriers, called platform screen doors, are also one of the most effective ways to prevent metro suicides.
- NewsCBC
Yellowknives Dene canvass traditional knowledge about Whitebeach Point
Members of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation met at Whitebeach Point on Thursday to discuss a plan to establish it as part of a larger territorial protected area. It's is known as Dinaga Wek'ehodi. Fred Sangris is the community negotiator for the Yellowknives Dene.
- NewsCBC
Land under Cape Breton's Ben Eoin Yacht Club and Marina sold
The land under Cape Breton's controversial Ben Eoin Yacht Club and Marina has been sold. It belonged to the federal government, which built the $4.8-million recreation facility in 2012 through Enterprise Cape Breton.
- NewsCBC
Woman frustrated in efforts to obtain reliable telephone service
After a year of repeated efforts, 63-year-old Gail Dyer still doesn't have a reliable way to call 911 from her rural Nova Scotia home in the event of an emergency. Over the next months, Dyer called Telus on several occasions.
- NewsCBC
Truck rules stifling city's food scene, restaurateur says
A former food cart operator who now runs a bricks-and-mortar restaurant says the city's strict rules aimed at controlling competition are stifling culinary creativity and leaving Ottawans hungry for more variety. Tarek Hassan, chef and co-owner of Gongfu Bao, told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning he would be fine with seeing a food truck pull up around the corner from his new Bank Street restaurant, something that's currently prohibited. The City of Ottawa's 2013 food truck program restricted both the number of vendors and where they could set up shop.
