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UNICEF Gaza chief says Israeli destruction, restrictions squandering Canadian aid
The United Nations official left to oversee not just children’s welfare but also water and sanitation in the Gaza Strip is praising Canada’s support for Palestinians — but warns that some of its aid money is being squandered by Israel’s attacks on water facilities and restrictions on aid groups. Jonathan Veitch, the head of UNICEF…
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Quebec bill helps Indigenous families track disappeared loved ones, but some remain wary
Norman Wapachee was born around a decade after his sister Hattie, but he never got to meet her. Instead, he grew up hearing their mom tell stories about her brief time on Earth. In 1955, Wapachee’s parents took their seven-month old daughter to a hospital in Roberval, QC to treat her pneumonia. Soon after, the…
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CBC won’t disclose Eurovision costs as memo says Ottawa can’t order it to take part
CBC/Radio-Canada won’t disclose how much participating in the Eurovision song contest could cost. A government document, obtained through access to information law, says information about other countries is limited but total costs ranged from about $400,000 for Portugal to $1.5 million for Israel in 2025. The Canadian Heritage document also says that because the Broadcasting…
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Toronto may be out of its depth on proposed surveillance pricing ban, experts say
As the mayor of Toronto looks to rein in surveillance pricing on groceries, experts say the municipal government may be out of its depth in attempting to end the controversial practice. Surveillance pricing, also referred to as personalized pricing, is the use of consumers’ individualized data such as their gender, location, purchase history or socioeconomic…
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Disciplinary hearing centres on teacher’s 15-second hug with student
School security camera footage of a nearly 15-second hug between a teacher and one of her students was repeatedly screened and scrutinized at a historic hearing. “This isn’t a fleeting or a casual embrace. The two were comfortable with each other,” teacher commissioner lawyer Tristan Sandulak told a professional disciplinary panel on Tuesday. Sandulak made…
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Slave Lake RCMP see seasonal shift in police calls and rise in AI scams
As the days grow longer, the Slave Lake RCMP detachment is noticing a familiar seasonal shift in the types of calls they receive. To get a clear picture of current crime trends and how residents can stay safe over the coming months, the Lakeside Leader reached out to Staff Sgt. Casey Bruyns for an update.…
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Vatican defends secrecy in sensitive abuse case involving ex-Jesuit artist Marko Rupnik
ROME (AP) — The Vatican on Wednesday confirmed that a church trial against a famous ex-Jesuit priest accused of spiritual and sexual abuse of women is ongoing and defended the secrecy of the proceedings as necessary to guarantee the process. An Italian blog reported Monday that an acquittal verdict had been reached in the case…
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SPSA urges residents to register before evacuation emergencies
REGINA — The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is encouraging residents to register with the Saskatchewan Evacuation Registration (SER) program before an emergency occurs, saying advance registration can reduce stress for evacuees while helping emergency officials provide faster, more effective support. The online registration system allows Saskatchewan households to provide information in advance that may…
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Ramara weighing $225K demolition cost for aged Brechin buildings
Ramara residents are almost equally divided on the fate of two aged municipal buildings on Highway 12 in Brechin. About half of residents want to see the buildings renovated, while the other half think they should be demolished. Financially impacting the decision, the Ministry of Transportation requires them to be set back from the highway.…
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Canada 1st to get ‘observer’ status in multinational next-gen fighter jet program
Canada has become the first country to gain observer status in a future fighter jet program run by the U.K., Japan and Italy, even as a decision on Ottawa’s current order of F-35s remains up in the air. As an observer nation, Ottawa will gain insider access to information about the Global Combat Air Program…
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EU hits AliExpress with a record 550 million-euro fine over unsafe and counterfeit goods
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The European Commission on Monday fined Chinese online marketplace AliExpress 550 million euros ($629 million) for failing to adequately crack down on the sale of unsafe and counterfeit products on its site. The fine, the biggest ever imposed for breaches of the 27-nation European Union’s Digital Services Act, comes just…