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Diwali fireworks advisory issued despite warnings it might be discriminatory: emails

OTTAWA — At least two Environment Canada meteorologists warned that linking Diwali fireworks to air pollution in an air quality advisory could be perceived as discriminatory, internal emails show, but the advisory was still published. Their warnings appeared well-founded. So many complaints had poured in by the end of the day that the department reissued […]

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15 ‘potential’ gravesites found near former Yukon residential school

CARCROSS, Yukon — Yukon First Nation elder Sandra Johnson says the discovery of 15 potential graves near the site of a former residential school has “uncovered long-buried wounds.” Johnson spoke Tuesday at the release of an investigation into unmarked graves and the deaths of children who attended the former Chooutla Residential School in Carcross, south […]

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B.C. First Nation research finds 158 child deaths at four facilities

MISSION, BRITISH COLUMBIA — An investigation into unmarked graves and missing children by British Columbia’s Sto:lo Nation has revealed at least 158 deaths, most of them at a hospital. But representatives from the Sto:lo Nation Chiefs’ Council and Sto:l? Research and Resource Management Centre said Thursday that their work has only just begun, and is […]

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As protests rage, some members of Canada’s multicultural communities express concern over LGBTQ inclusive school policies

Tens of thousands of people rallied across Canada on Wednesday in sometimes emotional and heated competing protests relating to LGBTQ-inclusive school policies. The rallies were organized by the “1 Million March 4 Children” group, which describes itself as bringing together people from “diverse backgrounds and faiths” to advocate against policies and extracurricular programs that allow […]

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What’s at stake for the Assembly of First Nations in the upcoming election?

OTTAWA — The next leader of the Assembly of First Nations will be tasked with unifying hundreds of chiefs at a time when reconciliation appears to be less of a priority in Canada, said an Indigenous policy expert. Hayden King, executive director of Indigenous-led think tank Yellowhead Institute, said the assembly has grown in influence […]

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Tribal nations face less accurate, more limited 2020 census data because of privacy methods

SANTA FE, N.M (AP) — During the 2020 census, Native American leaders across the U.S. invested time and resources to make sure their members were tallied during the head count, which determines political power and federal funding. But the detailed data sets from the 2020 census they will receive this month are more limited and […]

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Quebec Facebook class action can go ahead after Supreme Court declines to hear appeal

MONTREAL — A class-action lawsuit alleging Facebook illegally allowed advertisers to target users based on their race, age and gender can move forward after the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the social media giant. Facebook had sought to have Canada’s highest court overturn a Quebec Court of Appeal decision authorizing the class […]

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With raging fires and extreme heat, more must be done to address the unequal impact of climate change, experts say

It’s an unprecedented wildfire season in Canada, with millions of hectares burned and hundreds of structures destroyed while extreme heat has had devastating effects on people’s health, especially for those from racialized and newcomer communities. At least 619 people died in B.C. during the 2021 heat dome when the province broke records and oppressive 40C […]

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Quebec school districts are improperly handling teacher misconduct cases: report

Quebec’s education minister says it’s absurd that a teacher can commit sexual misconduct and then be transferred without consequences to another school district. Bernard Drainville made his comments Friday in reaction to a report that identified numerous shortcomings in how sexual or violentmisconduct cases against teachers and other employees are treated within the school network. […]

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Canada confirms it changed land claim process, mulls Indian Act changes

OTTAWA — Canada changed the way it settles First Nation land claims, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada confirmed Friday. The department is also mulling over possible amendments to the Indian Act and the Specific Claims Tribunal Act, though it didn’t say what those changes would be. The response came after The Canadian Press obtained […]

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Corporate ethics czar opens forced labour probes against Walmart, Hugo Boss, Diesel

OTTAWA — Canada’s corporate-ethics watchdog is investigating if Walmart, Hugo Boss and Diesel have forced labour in their supply chains. Sheri Meyerhoffer, the Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise, issued three reports today saying none of the companies have done enough to demonstrate the products they sell in Canada are free of slave labour. The Canadian subsidiaries […]

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N.B. education minister doubles down on changes to gender policy

New Brunswick’s education minister has announced small changes to the school gender policy that’s created a storm of controversy. Bill Hogan told reporters outside a rural school in Keswick Ridge on Wednesday that his Progressive Conservative government was making tweaks to Policy 713, which addresses gender identity, less than two weeks before school starts. Those […]

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