A newly launched federal review of the Access to Information system is being greeted with deep skepticism by transparency advocates. The Treasury Board Secretariat announced the government review, which takes place every five years, in a news release late Friday. The release says officials will seek input from a broad range of Canadians, Indigenous groups, […]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — As the war between Israel and Iran hits the one-week mark, Iranians have spent nearly half of the conflict in a near-communication blackout, unable to connect not only with the outside world but also with their neighbors and loved ones across the country. Civilians are left unaware of when […]

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The social media platform X said Thursday it has blocked access to jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu ’s account in Turkey, complying with a Turkish court order — the latest measure targeting a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, Elon Musk’s X said that while the company abided by […]

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — An unprecedented blackout across Spain and Portugal upended the lives of millions across the Iberian Peninsula, a stark reminder of modern society’s reliance on electricity, and how quickly life can descend into chaos when the grid goes down. Power was nearly completely restored across the region on Tuesday, but the cause […]

Premier Doug Ford said Thursday that he plans to visit some areas affected by prolonged power outages since a powerful ice storm hit central and northern Ontario over the weekend.  Hydro One said that of the approximately 175,000 customers without power as of late Thursday afternoon, nearly 45,000 lost power in the previous 24 hours […]

Canada’s housing shortage, widely recognized as a national crisis and the catalyst of significant immigration cuts, is The Canadian Press News Story of the Year. More than a quarter of 96 editors surveyed voted for the housing shortage as the most consequential story of 2024. The Jasper wildfires came in second place, while tensions between […]

Recognizing the central role of accountability and transparency at City Hall, Ontario’s Municipal Act grants municipalities powers to ensure good governance.  Councils have the responsibility to ensure the operations of the municipality, run by senior management, are conducted openly and subject to public scrutiny. According to the City’s website, St. Catharines is committed to organizational […]

Milton Public Library (MPL) has announced expanding its reciprocal borrowing program to include Guelph Public Library. This new partnership allows library cardholders from both systems to borrow materials at any participating location without paying the non-resident fee. “This initiative underscores our commitment to enhancing resource accessibility and supporting our community’s educational and recreational needs, especially […]

“Where’s the beef?” an iconic little old lady demanded to know in a 1984 commercial. According to local farmers, the questions many of us need to consider 40 years later are “Where did the beef come from? How did the beef get here? What’s in the beef?” and “Will the beef still be available tomorrow?” […]

The information and privacy commissioner for the Yukon says the current approach to access to information isn’t working.   In the Yukon ombudsman’s 2023 annual report, tabled in the territorial legislature on Oct. 21, Jason Pedlar said the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPPA) needs to be amended to give the commissioner the […]

Legislation around property rights, gun ownership, tourism and parental involvement in education should spark the interest of rural Albertans, the UCP’s government house leader speculated in announcing plans for this week’s reconvened session of the legislature. But pleasing people who live beyond the province’s cities is not driving his party’s fall agenda, Joseph Schow said […]

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave a boost Tuesday to Georgia’s ruling party, saying its victory in a parliamentary election in the South Caucasus nation was free and democratic despite a massive opposition protest that denounced the vote as rigged and illegitimate. Orbán, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest partner in the […]