Regina News

VICTORIA — The mayor of a community in B.C.'s Cariboo region says U.S. tariffs on the softwood lumber industry "are the icing on the cake" for an industry in need of fundamental reforms as it prepares for the closure of a local lumber bill. 100 Mile House Mayor Maureen Pinkney says she won't necessarily "point fingers at who's doing what right or wrong, but what's been happening in the last 20 years has not worked," adding issues like the handling of forestry licenses and the annual allowable cut need to be redone. Pinkney's comments come after West Fraser Timber announced on Nov. 6 that it will permanently close its lumber mill in 100 Mile House with about 165 jobs by the end of 2025, because the mill lacks reliable access to what it calls "an adequate volume of economically viable timber." The company adds that "challenging softwood lumber demand, higher duties and additional tariffs have compounded this situation." While the community is not unaware of the issues facing the softwood lumber industry, Pinkney says the mill's closure will have a "substantial impact" on the municipal budget and could lead to younger people leaving the community, whose current population of 2,000 serves a larger area of 20,000. Pinkney says she has had a "good conversation" with British Columbia Forests Minister Ravi Parmar about provincial supports, and adds that her community remains hopeful as it looks for alternative opportunities. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8. 2025. Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press

Former Philadelphia Eagles centre Jason Kelce says he didn’t mean to insult Canada when he questioned why he was supposed to care about the World Series in a podcast episode earlier this week. Kelce issued the clarification on social media Friday after a clip of his “New Heights” podcast, which he hosts with his younger brother Travis, showed him questioning why he would get excited about a “Canadian baseball team” going to the World Series against “a team that spends more money than everybody else.” His comments drew criticism from several Canadian baseball fans, calling his take disappointing. The Toronto Blue Jays went to Game 7 of a tumultuous World Series last weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the highest payroll of all MLB teams. Travis Kelce, a Kansas City Chiefs tight-end, praised both teams for pushing the World Series into seven games of “absolutely epic” baseball. On Friday, the elder Kelce said on social media he was “bamboozled” that the podcast’s social media team “failed to show the whole story.” “How could I not love poutine, maple syrup, and beavers!!” Kelce wrote, adding he was simply “talking s--- about not being personally invested of caring that the team that spent the most money and built a super team won the World Series.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

By Samya Kullab And Joanna Kozlowska KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian drone slammed into an apartment building in eastern Ukraine early Saturday while many were sleeping, killing three people and wounding 12 others, Ukrainian authorities reported. The attack in Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, was part of a large Russian missile and drone barrage across the country that targeted power infrastructure and also killed a worker at an energy company in Kharkiv, farther north, a local official said. Read more:

• Some Ukrainian university students feel ‘betrayed’ as tuition could increase up to five-fold
• Contributing to war and peace: Canada’s role in Ukraine explained
• Saab considers Canada as site for Gripen jet assembly to meet demand from Ukraine

A fire broke out and several apartments were destroyed in the nine-story building in Dnipro, the emergency services said. Rescuers recovered the bodies of three people, while two children were among the wounded. Russia fired a total of 458 drones and 45 missiles, including 32 ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 406 drones and nine missiles, the air force said, adding that 25 locations were struck. Authorities switched off power in several regions because of the attacks, Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk said in a post on Facebook. In eastern Ukraine, fighting for the strategic city of Pokrovsk has reached a key stage, with both Kyiv and Moscow vying to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump that they can win on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Saturday that work has begun on President Vladimir Putin’s order to prepare plans for a possible Russian nuclear test, according to state news agency Tass. Putin’s order on Wednesday followed statements by Trump, which appeared to suggest that Washington would restart its own atomic tests for the first time in three decades. During a news briefing Saturday, Lavrov said that Russia had received no clarification from the U.S. regarding its intentions. In this image made from video provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, a Russian army soldier fires a Fagot anti-tank missile system towards an Ukrainian position at an undisclosed location. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) Energy sites attacked Russia has been pummeling Ukraine with near-daily drone and missile strikes, killing and wounding civilians. The Kremlin says its only targets are linked to Kyiv’s war effort. Russia’s Defense Ministry asserted Saturday that the nighttime strikes hit military and energy sites supplying Ukrainian forces. Moscow and Kyiv have traded almost daily assaults on each other’s energy targets as U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the nearly four-year war had no impact on the battlefield. Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries aim to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue the war. Russia wants to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water in what Kyiv officials say is an attempt to “weaponize winter.” Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an X post that the strikes damaged “several major energy facilities” around Kharkiv and Kyiv, as well as in the central Poltava region. An energy company worker was killed in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said in a post on Telegram. “We are working to eliminate the consequences of the attacks across the country. The focus is on the rapid restoration of heating, electricity and water supply,” Svyrydenko added. Thermal power plants operated by Ukraine’s state energy company Centrenergo were again knocked offline by the nighttime strikes, the company said in a statement Saturday. Centrenergo’s three plants in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk were damaged by Russian attacks last year and subsequently restored. The very same plants that were targeted last year and restored were struck again “each minute” by Russian drones, the company said. Russian forces, meanwhile, repelled a “massive” nighttime strike on energy facilities in the southern Volgograd region, Gov. Andrei Bocharov said Saturday, two days after Ukraine said that it hit a key oil refinery there with long-range drones. Bocharov added that the strike knocked out power in parts of the region’s northwest, but caused no casualties. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv. Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday that its forces shot down 82 Ukrainian drones during the night, including eight over the Volgograd region. Two people were wounded in the neighboring Saratov region after a Ukrainian drone strike blew out windows in an apartment building, according to regional Gov. Roman Busarin. Vow to stop Russian oil in Europe Following weeks of long-range strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure that Ukraine says both funds and directly fuels the Kremlin’s war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed on Friday to “find a way to ensure there is no Russian oil in Europe.” Zelenskyy spoke to reporters shortly after Hungary secured an exemption from recent U.S. sanctions targeting major Russian oil producers. “We will not allow it. We will not let the Russians sell oil there. It’s a matter of time,” he said at a news briefing after meeting with senior Ukrainian military leaders, without elaborating how Kyiv might seek to stanch the oil flows. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a Trump ally who has long urged the European Union to repair ties with Moscow, argues that landlocked Hungary has no viable alternatives to Russian crude, and that replacing those supplies would trigger an economic collapse. Critics dispute that claim. The Trump administration unveiled sanctions against Russia’s major state-affiliated oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil last month, a move that could expose their foreign buyers — including customers in Central Europe, India and China — to secondary sanctions. While most of the EU’s 27 member states sharply reduced or halted imports of Russian fossil fuels after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Hungary and Slovakia have maintained their pipeline deliveries. Hungary has even increased the share of Russian oil in its energy mix. Fighting for city of Pokrovsk The city of Pokrovsk sits along the eastern front line, part of what has been dubbed the “fortress belt” of Donetsk, a line of heavily fortified cities crucial to Ukraine’s defence of the region. It could also be a key point in influencing Washington’s stance and sway the course of peace negotiations, analysts say. Putin says his forces are on the cusp of winning. As a prerequisite for peace, he demands that Ukraine cede the Donbas, made up of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk. Russia troops advanced near Pokrovsk and the nearby town of Myrnohrad, according to the Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday, saying both were encircled. It also said Russian forces surrounded Ukrainian defenders in Kupiansk, a key railway hub in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Kyiv didn’t immediately respond to Moscow’s statements, which couldn’t be independently verified. Ukrainian officials have previously acknowledged that the situation in Pokrovsk is dire. But they said there was no blockade either there or in Kupiansk, and that fighting continued. Read more:

• Some Ukrainian university students feel ‘betrayed’ as tuition could increase up to five-fold
• Contributing to war and peace: Canada’s role in Ukraine explained
• Saab considers Canada as site for Gripen jet assembly to meet demand from Ukraine

VICTORIA — A local official says testing has revealed "no contamination" of a local water system on Kamloops Lake in B.C. after more than 80,000 litres of aviation fuel spilled on its shores in a train derailment last weekend. Michael Grenier, director for Area J of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, says in a social media post that test results show "no direct impact" on the quality of drinking water in Savona, whose 700 residents live on the southwestern shore of Kamloops Lake. Grenier says the regional district is still waiting for test results for the Walhachin community water system, adding that the risk "very remains very low" at this time. Grenier says regular testing of water quality will continue, adding that the regional district will inform residents of Savona and Walhachin of any changes through its alert system. Rail operator Canadian Pacific Kansas City says in a statement that it "remains fully committed" to the cleanup of the train derailment, which happened Nov. 1 near Cherry Creek, about 20 kilometres west of Kamloops. No one was injured in the derailment, which involved a locomotive and 17 rail cars, two of which were carrying aviation fuel, and its cause remains under investigation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press

Battlefords RCMP said on Friday they are wanting to confirm the wellbeing of a person in a dark-green Jeep Wrangler Unlimited SUV following a shooting on Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man First Nation on Nov. 5. Saskatchewan RCMP said in a news release on Nov. 7  that officers from the detachment received a report of a shooting on the First Nation around 7:10 p.m. on Nov. 5. Read more:

• Related break and enters investigated by Saskatchewan and Alberta RCMP
• Woman charged with second-degree murder after three men shot dead in Turtleford: RCMP
• Boy charged with first-degree murder after man’s death in Whitewood

Police said they found an interaction occurred between a man in a parking lot outside a community facility and a person in the dark green Jeep. The person in the Jeep discharged a firearm injuring the man, police said, before driving away. The injured man then left in a tan-coloured Jeep, they said. RCMP said a short time later another interaction occurred between the occupants of the two Jeeps in a business parking lot along Highway 4 where a firearm was discharged from the tan-coloured Jeep. Both Jeeps again drove away. The injured man from the tan-coloured Jeep was taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening and later released from hospital, and a man and a woman were arrested on outstanding warrants from Battlefords RCMP. Battlefords RCMP said no charges have been laid in relation to the investigation into the Jeeps but they are working to locate the occupants of the green Jeep because they believe a second person may have been injured and want to confirm their wellbeing. Anyone who has information about the green Jeep, or about someone who was injured on the evening of Nov. 5, is asked to call Battlefords RCMP at 310-RCMP, their local police service or to inform Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or at saskcrimestoppers.com. Man charged with theft of dirt bike, tools A 26-year-old man from Moosomin First Nation has been charged after an RCMP investigation into recent thefts in the Battlefords area. Saskatchewan RCMP said in a news release on Nov. 7 that two thefts were reported from Summerfield Beach homes, with a dirt bike reported stolen on Oct. 28. and tools reportedly taken from a vehicle on Nov. 4. RCMP said the The North Battleford Crime Reduction Team – Gang Task Force (CRT-GTF) looked into the thefts and searched a home on Moosomin First Nation on Nov. 6., with the help of Saskatchewan RCMP’s Critical Incident Response Team. At the home, police said they found the stolen dirt bike and the tools. They also found ammunition. A man and five women were arrested but only the 26-year-old man was charged. He is facing two counts of  possession of property obtained by crime under $5000 and possessing a weapon contrary to an order. He appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court on Nov. 7, and RCMP said the investigation will continue. Read more:

• Related break and enters investigated by Saskatchewan and Alberta RCMP
• Woman charged with second-degree murder after three men shot dead in Turtleford: RCMP
• Boy charged with first-degree murder after man’s death in Whitewood

Snow was on the ground and a 6A football provincial title was on the line for Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School and Regina’s Miller high school in Saskatoon on Friday night. Miller had beat Holy Cross in their previous two provincial matchups in 2021 and 2023, while Holy Cross were looking to lift the provincial trophy for the first time since 1995. Read more:

• ‘Grateful for these moments’: Riders take on Lions in CFL West Final
• Chilly weather forecast for CFL West Final in Regina

Last week, Holy Cross beaten St. Joseph 20-15 in the city finals meanwhile Miller beat Riffel 36-27. On Friday night, Holy Cross finished off with a historic 21-16 win to capture their first provincial title in 30 years. In the first half, Josh Ayur scored a touchdown for Holy Cross, while Miller could only muster a field goal, making it 7-3. Holy Cross head coach Tom Schnitzler, credited his defence. “Ask any coach in the city, this is a generational level defence,” he said. “The players we had that came together … this group is going to go down in history.” It took until the final two minutes in the third quarter before Holy Cross’ Jack Tuck found himself in the endzone, making the score 14-3 before Tuck extended the lead to 21-3 with a second touchdown. “We knew we had to go over the top … an absolutely massive catch by Jack (Tuck) there, I thought he had his best game of the season tonight,” Schnitzler said. Miller rallied with late touchdowns from Ben Kostiuk and Noah Finkledey but would ultimately fall short 21-16. “We’ve prepared for those situations,” said Schnitzler. “The defence stepped in, they played tremendous, able to eat some clock and then make them force it down the middle.” Schnitzler said to finally get the provincial monkey title off their backs was a tremendous feeling. “It’s unbelievable, the boys worked so extremely hard,” he said. “Our veterans were outstanding and they carried the team all year. They came up big today.” Scott Hundseth, former head coach for Holy Cross, had never won a provincial title despite a number of appearances. “(We’ve had) some heartbreakers especially against Miller and LeBoldus … Our boys played hard today, and they deserve it,” he said. Outside of the team captains, Hundseth was the first person to lift the trophy, finally putting away all the heartbreak he had endured. “What the boys did there is phenomenal,” he said. “They’re just great kids and they’ve been trying hard for this for a long time and (it) finally came true for them.” Read more:

• ‘Grateful for these moments’: Riders take on Lions in CFL West Final
• Chilly weather forecast for CFL West Final in Regina

TORONTO — The City of Toronto is adding more than 1,200 shelter spaces for people experiencing homelessness later this month as part of its winter services plan. A news release from the city says this figure includes 370 permanent supportive and subsidized housing units, 244 warm centre spaces that will open when temperatures hit -5 C or colder during winter weather warnings, as well as nearly 490 new shelter spaces and 175 surge capacity spaces to open during extreme temperatures. The city says it will also dispatch more street outreach teams during extreme cold, and will continue regular outreach programs to provide warm clothing, sleeping bags and other supplies throughout the winter. The measures will be in place from Nov. 15 to April 15. The city says a select few new shelter spaces will open this weekend as temperatures are expected to plunge to -5 C on Sunday and the city is set to get its first snowfall of the season. Toronto continues to experience what the city calls a "homelessness emergency" driven by unaffordable housing, insufficient income supports and unmet health needs. There were more than 15,000 people in Toronto experiencing homelessness last year according to the city's 2024 Street Needs Assessment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

This weekend the Saskatchewan Party will be hosting its biennial convention and there is plenty at stake with Premier Scott Moe's leadership up for review.

Farmers and rural officials across Saskatchewan say Ottawa’s decision to review the strychnine ban could finally bring relief in the fight against gophers. Still, some warn that the solution needs to balance effectiveness and safety. At the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) midterm convention in Regina, delegates announced a resolution calling on the federal government to either reintroduce strychnine or provide a cost-effective alternative for pest control. The once-common chemical was banned by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) in 2023, leaving producers with few reliable options. Read more:

• SARM calls for reversal of ban on strychnine pesticide for ground squirrels
• Murray Wood: Sask. farmers pay the price for Ottawa’s gopher ban
• Sask. Wildlife Federation helping landowners control gopher populations

SARM President Bill Huber told delegates that the association had received a verbal commitment from Ottawa to review the use of strychnine in emergencies, with support from provincial and municipal governments. “We also asked for the reinstatement of strychnine to manage Richardson’s ground squirrels,” Huber said. “They’re not just a nuisance, they’re a plague on our crops. And before we even got home from Ottawa, the federal government verbally committed to reviewing its use.” While commitment is still informing many municipal leaders, they see it as the first progress since the ban took effect. Hazelwood Reeve James Husband says the gopher problem has worsened since strychnine was banned, leaving few effective options for farmers. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME) For Hazelwood Reeve James Husband, the damage from gophers is already adding up. “We’ve faced extensive crop and pasture damage,” Husband said. “Since strychnine was banned, the problem’s only grown. The new options don’t work; the old product, used right, was extremely effective. Husband says farmers want Ottawa to allow more potent formulations, not the diluted version that replaced it years ago. Further south, Val Marie reeve and farmer Larry Grant described the ripple effects gophers cause across the Prairies, from crop loss to machinery damage caused by badgers drawn to burrows. “Gophers are a destructive pest,” Grant said. “They eat crops, they eat grass, and when you get badgers going after them, they can wreck equipment. The most reliable and safest way to control them was strychnine; now we don’t have a product that really works.” Grant says gophers thrive in drought-prone areas, particularly in southwestern Saskatchewan, and the cost of repairs and re-seeding continues to rise. Still, some municipal leaders aren’t convinced strychnine should return. John Hilger, council member for the RM of Clinworth, says other products can work if used correctly, without harming natural predators. “I don’t know if it’s totally necessary to bring back strychnine,” Hilger said. “The new products can work if you put them out in time, and they don’t hurt the predators. Hilger’s view reflects a minority at the convention but highlights the ongoing debate over environmental risks linked to the poison, which also kills birds and mammals that prey on rodents. Also speaking at SARM’s convention, Sameer Thawer, operations lead for Ecopest Inc. and president of Canadian Pest Management Association, told delegates that rodent control can’t rely solely on chemicals. “We live in the pest world, they don’t live in ours,” Thawer said. “You can’t fix a rodent problem with chemistry, but you can fix it by managing rodents.” Thawer said regulators in Canada and the U.S. are reviewing rodenticides nationwide, which could lead to tighter safety rules and the reclassification of certain products. He urged municipalities to adopt an integrated rodent management plan built on three pillars: education, elimination, and control. “We’ll never live in a world without pests,” Thawer said. “The point is to manage them sustainably, through prevention, training and responsible control.” SARM says it’s still waiting for formal confirmation from the federal government, but calls Ottawa’s verbal commitment an encouraging sign. Read more:

• SARM calls for reversal of ban on strychnine pesticide for ground squirrels
• Murray Wood: Sask. farmers pay the price for Ottawa’s gopher ban
• Sask. Wildlife Federation helping landowners control gopher populations

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris believes there’s one major difference when it comes to the team’s mindset for the CFL West Final. “We’re the big dogs,” Harris said. Read more:

• Find the latest Saskatchewan Roughriders news here
• The Blitz podcast with Jamie Nye and Britton Gray
• Chilly weather forecast for CFL West Final in Regina

The Riders proved they were the top dog throughout the CFL regular season, finishing with a league-high 12 wins. Finishing at the top of the standings gave the team the right to have the divisional final at home at Mosaic Stadium. This is the first time the Riders have hosted the West Final since 2019 and only the fourth time since 1972. Kickoff for the game against the B.C. Lions is set for 5:30 p.m. The Green Zone pregame show begins at 3:30 p.m. Harris knows it’s important to take advantage of these opportunities. “I think early on in your career, you believe you will do this a bunch of times,” Harris said. “Eventually, you realize it’s difficult. When you get these opportunities, you relish them. I remember growing up, I used to watch press conferences and go to games and watch players, and I was like, ‘I would love to be that guy someday,’ … I’m grateful for these moments. “It’s not something where I sit here and put pressure on myself. I get to live this moment. I get to go out there in front of a packed house in the West Final in the CFL, playing professional football, and I am 39 years old. It’s pretty stinking awesome and I am grateful.” Harris had one of the best seasons in his lengthy CFL career, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. On the other side will be the B.C. Lions, who have rattled off seven wins in a row to get to this point, including defeating the Calgary Stampeders in the West semifinal. The Lions, who boast the number one scoring offence in the CFL, are led by CFL West Division Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian in quarterback Nathan Rourke. Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions to go along with 564 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Linebacker Jameer Thurman knows it’s a challenge to keep Rourke contained as a rusher. “It’s a challenge because a lot of their big plays come when he gets out of the pocket. We understand what’s at stake when we go against someone like him, but as long as guys do their job, we will be fine,” Thurman said. The Riders’ defence has been one of the best in multiple categories this season, especially when it comes to stopping the run. Saskatchewan only surrendered 76 yards per game — the next lowest was the Ottawa Redblacks at 91.4 yards per game. B.C. running back James Butler was among the best in the league with his 1,213 yards being good enough to be the third-highest in the CFL. With the weather expected to be cold, Thurman said it’s important they continue to focus on their identity. “We talk about all season, stopping the run. That’s a key to victory. We have done that throughout the year and we continue to look forward to doing that. It’s not about who is coming in or anything like that. As long as you continue to be yourself and what you have been doing all season long, we will come away with the win,” Thurman said. Meanwhile, the Riders could lean heavily on running back AJ Ouellette in the game. He finished with 1,222 yards. “Everybody is fired up. We know we have the team that has what it takes to go all the way. Just go out there and show what we are made of,” Ouellette said. Both defences in the game have had success getting to the quarterback this season. The Lions finished the season tied at the top of the CFL with 45 sacks, but right behind them were the Riders with 43. The same can be said for the offensive lines as well as the Lions surrendered the least amount of sacks (20), while the Riders were tied with the Montreal Alouettes in second (25). The Riders did win two of the three showdowns between the two clubs, but the Lions did win in Week 21. In that game, the Riders rested their starters in the second half while also giving some other players the game off. Head coach Corey Mace this is the type of showdown you want to be a part of. “I think for the fan base, it’s excellent. This is what you want. From the players’ standpoint, I think this is what they want as well,” Mace said. “At this point in the season, where everyone is trying to go, you have to show up and you have to be the best. It’s a tall task, no doubt. We’ve talked about two really good football teams. It should be excellent for the league and CFL fans.” Read more:

• Find the latest Saskatchewan Roughriders news here
• The Blitz podcast with Jamie Nye and Britton Gray
• Chilly weather forecast for CFL West Final in Regina

EDGEWOOD, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — Katie Pasitney, whose mother co-owns the British Columbia ostrich farm where hundreds of the birds were shot dead in a cull ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, says she is focused on creating change for other farmers. Standing on the highway overlooking the field where the cull took place Thursday night, Pasitney says the CFIA's so-called stamping-out policy is "broken" as it fails to prevent mounting outbreaks of avian influenza in B.C. and other parts of Canada. She says the farm near Edgewood in southeastern B.C. is "ground zero for change" in outbreak response, but adds her family will "never recover from this." The owners of Universal Ostrich Farms had been fighting the cull order issued during an avian flu outbreak last New Year's Eve, but their hopes were dashed Thursday as the Supreme Court of Canada said it would not hear their case. The cull went ahead that night, with sounds of gunfire starting at about 6 p.m. from within a hay-bale pen built by the CFIA, a method Pasitney describes as inhumane. A statement from the CFIA says using "professional marksmen" was the "most appropriate and human option" to kill the flock of about 300 to 330 birds. Pasitney's voice filled with emotion as she described her father, who uses a wheelchair, crying because he felt he couldn't protect his family and their ostriches. "In a way I feel like I failed 'cause I couldn't protect my mum," she said through tears during an interview Friday as dead ostriches were loaded into containers in the field behind her, though the view was largely obstructed by the hay-bale enclosure. "Our land that had so much life 24 hours ago is a cold, empty shell," Pasitney said. "We're going to use that as motivation and we're going to change Canada." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

Premier Scott Moe is to face a leadership vote at his Saskatchewan Party's convention in Saskatoon after capturing the party's fifth-straight majority.

Dianne Burrows knew the late Howard Leyton-Brown as a talented violinist and conductor. Only later did she discover he had served as a bomber pilot and flight instructor during the Second World War. Read More

BRANDON — The costs of child care, food and other items are among the topics on the agenda at this weekend's Manitoba NDP convention. The annual gathering is a chance for party delegates to debate policies, and one resolution calls for increased funding for child-care centres. Other resolutions call for a higher minimum wage, more financial aid for post-secondary students, and new measures to increase food security and affordability in northern communities. Delegates are also set to hear from Premier Wab Kinew. The governing New Democrats are halfway through their mandate after winning the 2023 election. Christopher Adams, an adjunct professor of political science at the University of Manitoba, says the NDP is in a fairly good position — running high in opinion polls and raising a lot of money. "I would say that the party is in fairly good shape and there don't seem to be any major conflicts within the party," Adams said in an interview. The NDP have continued to show signs of electoral strength since winning 34 of the 57 legislature seats in 2023. The party won a byelection last year in the Tuxedo constituency in Winnipeg, which had previously always voted Progressive Conservative. The NDP came close to an upset in August in the Spruce Woods constituency, a largely rural Tory stronghold, but fell 70 votes short. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press

SASKATOON — Premier Scott Moe is to face a leadership vote today at his Saskatchewan Party's convention. Moe received an approval rating of 97 per cent at the last gathering two years ago. The convention follows last year's election that saw Moe's government win a fifth-straight majority but lose significant ground in the province's two major cities. The party lost all its Regina seats and held on to only one riding in Saskatoon. Party members have said they were disappointed in the results and have urged Moe to do better on addressing urban issues. Members are also set to decide on a motion that would strip voting powers from permanent residents and youth, and instead allow only Canadian adult citizens to vote on party matters. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Many Canadian travellers to Europe are being asked to reveal more about themselves as officials begin to usher in new security measures. European countries are rolling out a border management system to register people for short stays and, starting late next year, many visitors will need to obtain electronic travel authorizations in advance. The first initiative, the Entry/Exit System, is intended to modernize border management across the 29 European countries using the system by electronically registering non-European nationals' entries, exits and entry refusals. The system, which is set to be fully in place by April 10, applies to visitors with short-stay visas as well as travellers — including many from Canada — who do not need a visa to stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. The system uses various means, including electronic kiosks, to collect facial images and fingerprints to verify identities. Officials say the biometric data will help determine whether people are exceeding their permitted stay and contribute to the fight against organized crime and terrorism. The Entry/Exit System was set up because European countries have for too long lacked a centralized overview of people entering, leaving and staying, said Uku Sarekanno, deputy executive director of Frontex, the European border and coast guard agency. "In Europe, if you look at the figures, irregular migration is down," Sarekanno said during a recent visit to Ottawa to meet counterparts. "At the same time, the topic as such is very high on the political agenda." The new measures address these voter concerns and help build "trust in the system," he added. Beginning some time late next year, the second measure — the European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS — will come into effect. The travel authorization will be an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of 30 European countries. In 2016, Ottawa began requiring most visa-exempt visitors flying to Canada to have such a document, known as the Electronic Travel Authorization. Beginning late next year, the ETIAS travel authorization will be available for purchase through an online portal for 20 euros. Applicants under age 18 or older than 70 are among those exempt from payment. Officials say most applications will be processed within minutes, although some might take longer. The travel authorization requirement will give European border officials advance warning of who is coming before they get on a flight, Sarekanno said. "The risks need to be better managed." The ETIAS travel authorization, linked to a visitor's passport, will be valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. The document allows the holder to enter participating countries as often as they wish for short-term stays. Officials caution, however, that the travel authorization does not guarantee entry and a border guard will still ask to see a passport and other documents. Travellers will be advised to apply for a travel authorization before purchasing an airline ticket or booking accommodation. Officials warn that online scammers are already trying to profit off the ETIAS — even though it doesn't exist yet. Sarekanno said officials hope the new measures will lead eventually to a faster and more seamless experience for travellers at European borders, and free up border officers for other tasks. "But it all takes time," he said. In the next few years, he added, "we will be busy with all the implementation of it, and then we can build on top of that." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — John Moses says that when his father Russell Moses returned on leave from the Korean War, his battles weren't over. When the Indigenous residential school survivor came back to Canada in 1952, he was turned away from a bar in Hagersville, Ont., because of his race, his son said. "That was not unique," said John Moses, a member of the Delaware and Upper Mohawk bands from Six Nations of the Grand River, and himself a third-generation member of the Canadian Armed Forces. His father, who served in the navy during the Korean War and later joined the air force, died in 2013, while his grandfather Ted Moses was a mechanic with the air force in Ontario during the Second World War. "The irony of the situation was never lost on newly returned veterans," said Moses, a communicator research operator with the Armed Forces in the 1980s before working at the Canadian Museum of History as director for repatriation and Indigenous relations. "After having fought abroad for the sovereignty of small nations overseas, they come back to a country within which we still, at that point, did not enjoy the same range of civil and political rights as other Canadians." Canada marks Indigenous Veteran's Day on Saturday, shining a spotlight on wartime experiences that historian Scott Sheffield says was a place where some would find a sense of belonging, away from racism at home. Indigenous Veterans Day began as a grassroots movement in Winnipeg in 1993, but has since grown to be nationally recognized, with Sheffield calling it a "logical precursor to Remembrance Day" on Nov. 11. Sheffield, an associate professor in history at the University of the Fraser Valley in B.C., said many ask why Indigenous people would choose to fight for a country that marginalized them. He said the reasons varied according to the individual and the war, and in many cases, Indigenous fighters volunteered for the same reasons as others, such as adventure or economic reasons. But, for some, he said it was a political statement. "By enlisting, they were sort of declaring their right to belong, to be part of Canadian society," he said. One example was Tommy Prince, one of Canada's the most decorated World War Two veterans, who "famously went to war to prove that an Indian was as good as any white man." "He served his whole career with that kind of chip on his shoulder to prove himself a superb soldier, which he did in spades, but it was partly to make that statement," Sheffield said. He said the "most consistent thread" to emerge from the Indigenous wartime experience was that serving "stripped away a lot of the prejudice" Indigenous soldiers faced in Canadian daily life. "If you were sharing a foxhole with the guy, you only cared about his character, if you had confidence that he'd have your back, and that was something I think, that Indigenous men really came to prize — that they garnered respect for their character and their ability as soldiers, and that was really the main thing they took away from that experience," he said. But stories also echoed Russell Moses' experience — the camaraderie seemed to vanish back home. 2. Note that while The Canadian Press has adopted Black as a proper name for a person's race, white is a generic term and is lowercase. "They expected that acceptance to continue after the war, to be honest, and that was more disillusioning, because they returned home to a Canada where, in many ways, with their uniform off, they were still — in their words — 'just an Indian again,'" said Sheffield. He said many Indigenous veterans of the Second World War signed up to again serve the Korean War, "maybe to recapture some of that sense of acceptance and purpose again." The federal government says on its veterans website that more than 4,000 Indigenous people served in uniform during the First World War, in a "remarkable response," that saw one in three able-bodied men volunteer. Communities including the Head of the Lake Band in B.C. saw every man aged between 20 and 35 enlist. The veterans site says more than 3,000 First Nations people served in the Second World War. But Sheffield said that may be understated. "There was nowhere in the records where they recorded a person's ethnicity or race," said Sheffield, who believes as many as 4,300 Indigenous soldiers served in the Second World War. The government acknowledges unfair treatment of Indigenous soldiers, noting many thought their sacrifice would "improve rights and standing in Canada." That, it concedes, did not happen and "has had lasting physical and social effects for Indigenous veterans and their communities." As reconciliation efforts have gained momentum in recent years, so has a push to recognize Indigenous veterans, both on Nov. 8 but also through an initiative called the Last Post Fund Indigenous Initiative. The fund has been in existence since 1909 with the mission of ensuring no veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial, and a military gravestone. The Indigenous Veterans Initiative began in March 2019, and to date, it says more than 265 grave markers have been ordered and placed, while 24 Indigenous community researchers across the country search for more unrecognized veterans' graves. Among the researchers is Floyd Powder, who spent 32 years in the Canadian Armed Forces before retiring in 2013. He identifies graves of Indigenous veterans who lack a headstone. He said each marker should include an Indigenous symbol or language. "It shows the family that Veterans Affairs Canada and the Last Post Fund recognizes their service and honours them by having those considerations of symbol and language on their headstone," he said in an interview. Veterans Affairs Canada, which helps to fund the project, said in a statement that celebrating Indigenous Veterans Day took nothing away from Remembrance Day. "It does not replace or supersede Remembrance Day in any way — it instead enhances Veterans’ Week commemorations by shining a spotlight on the tremendous history of Indigenous service," it said in a statement. Sheffield said Nov. 8 serves as a reminder of the mutual respect and camaraderie felt by soldiers, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, as they served alongside one another long before reconciliation efforts began. "I think those are things maybe we should also take to heart, and that might help us as we're walking a path of reconciliation and trying to find a way to successfully and respectfully coexist in our country going forward." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press