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Christopher Best told his family not to worry about the pictures of polar bears he was snapping and posting on social media as he worked at a radar site in Nunavut. "Chris said, 'Well, yeah, they're not close to us,'" his mother, Shelly Cox, said he told his stepfather on a call shortly before he was killed by a bear on Aug. 8, 2024. "'God, Dad,' he said, 'You know, I know difference, right?'" A report into Best's death by Nasittuq Corporation, the company that operates North Warning System' sites stretching from Yukon to eastern Labrador, says the 34-year-old went outside with his camera at the remote installation on Brevoort Island. He had been told a bear was nearby, says the report. Best went out a door with a large sign warning of polar bears and rounded the corner of a building, thinking the animal was off in the distance. But Best didn't appear to know there was a second bear. The report says surveillance video shows that bear cut off a route for Best to run to a building for safety and charged. The first bear then joined the attack. "I don't think he would have went out if he would have known that second bear was there," Cox said in an interview from her home in Goose Bay, N.L. She said the tragedy could have been prevented and that changes are needed, such as fences and motion-sensor monitors with alarms, to make radar sites safer. The report says there had previously been no known fatalities or injuries from a bear attack during operation of the North Warning System or its predecessor, the DEW Line, for seven decades. Best grew up in Labrador, said Cox. He liked reading and photography, and had worked a variety of jobs, from cleaning barbecues in Toronto to working as an assistant on the reality TV show "Alone." He also had earlier stints as a custodian and a general labourer on North Warning System sites. She said he was good with computers and was hired by the company again to do logistics work. Due to the sensitive nature of the radar sites, she said, he was waiting for security clearance before he could begin that job and agreed to something else in the interim — fuel tank cleaning. Best and other members of a tank cleaning crew arrived at the site the day before the attack. The report says they spotted a bear and took photos from the safety of a vehicle, which Best posted online. Best asked a wildlife monitor at the site to let him know when bears were around so he could take more pictures, says the report. That employee saw Best at the end of the work shift on Aug. 8 and told him a bear was outside. Some radar sites are inland and rarely experience bears, the report says, including ones where Best previously worked. It also wasn't uncommon for workers to take hikes after-hours at those sites. The Brevoort site was different, however. A problem bear was killed there in 2023, after it repeatedly tried to enter buildings and couldn't be deterred. Due to the bear risk, workers at Brevoort were allowed to smoke inside the technical services building near an exhaust fan. One worker there looked out a garage door window and saw the bears attacking Best and yelled for a gun. There wasn't a gun, so he ran to the accommodations building and alerted the wildlife monitor, who went and fired a non-lethal bear-banger from a 12-guage shotgun. The report says both bears ran but one turned back and charged, forcing the monitor to fatally shoot it. Another employee arrived with a weapon and kept watch while others loaded Best into a truck and brought his body inside. An RCMP officer delivered the news to Cox at her home early the next morning. "We were just in shock," Cox said. "I stayed up all night, too, just waiting for someone to get up so I could tell my family." The report makes several proposals to improve its safety policies, including requiring any worker going outside after-hours to get permission from a manager or supervisor. It also says public address system announcements should be made when bears are known to be outside. Best underwent training for polar bear awareness, the report says, but some documentation for course completion was missing. It also proposes fencing be erected at some areas in the camp. The report notes a substance believed to be from a grease trap was found in snow near the attack but it probably had no more effect in attracting bears than smells from the facility's kitchen. Employment and Social Development Canada says its report on the death is not yet complete. In an email, it says that under the Canada Labour Code, federally regulated employers must protect the health and safety of employees and fines can be imposed for infractions. Nasittuq said in a statement it wasn't able to comment since the federal government report isn't finished. "We care deeply for the safety and well-being of all our employees and feel for everyone who continues to be affected by this tragic incident," it said. Best's camera, along with the SD card containing his photos, were eventually sent to his mother along with the rest of his belongings. Cox said she's still trying to get all the details she can. "I don't care. I want to know everything. That's just the person I am. I'm not letting it go." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2025. Rob Drinkwater, The Canadian Press

Canadian climate negotiators are headed to Brazil for the next two weeks as leaders gather for annual United Nations climate talks. The talks come as Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose credentials as an international climate advocate helped win him support in this year's election, comes under increasing scrutiny for his reversal of some key Trudeau-era climate policies — and his government's perceived softening on the oil and gas sector, the biggest source of Canada's emissions. One focus is expected to be on how the world will adapt to climate change risks — and how countries will pay for those mitigation efforts. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the landmark Paris Agreement, and leaders will face questions about whether the deal is working and if countries are pulling back from their climate commitments, says Catherine Abreu, a leading Canadian climate policy expert. But she is optimistic: "I think we'll see strong political signals coming out of (the conference) that the vast majority of the world is definitely still committed to this process," Abreu, a member of an independent group of federal climate advisors, said ahead of the meetings. Here's what else you need to know. What is COP30? The summit's name stands for the 30th Conference of the Parties who signed the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This year, Brazil will host the summit in Belém, a city known as a gateway to the Amazon River. That location is a stark reminder of what's at stake if emissions aren't kept in check, as climate change and deforestation fuel the rainforest's transformation into a drier, fire-prone savanna. Unlike the summit 10 years ago in Paris, the host Brazil has indicated this COP is focused on following through on existing deals, rather than advancing new rulemaking. What will be discussed? A key focus will be on adaptation — how to make countries more resilient to increased climate risks, from rising sea levels to extreme heat. Negotiators are set to finalize a list of about 100 indicators used to track global progress, such as how many people have access to reliable drinking water capable of withstanding climate-fuelled drought. There is still debate over how to track the money developing countries say they need to turn adaptation goals into reality. Parties are looking at indicators that could include measuring what portion of all adaptation funding is flowing to local governments, small island nations or Indigenous Peoples, reflecting a broader goal to promote equity and justice in how money to fight climate change is distributed. Negotiations will look to advance a major outcome of last year's talks: the pledge to mobilize at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 for climate finance. There will also be discussions about the agreement two years ago to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 and transition away from fossil fuels, the major driver of human-caused climate change. More than half of the countries attending the talks have yet to submit updated national climate plans, called Nationally Determined Contributions. Those plans, due earlier this year, represent each country's contribution to the climate change fight and are intended to be strengthened every five years in an escalating cycle of ambition. Abreu said she expects to see a push at the talks for leaders to explain how "countries will fill that gap." What is Canada's role? Federal officials say Canada will continue to play a bridge-builder role to help countries reach a consensus on some of the summit's key issues. The officials, who briefed reporters ahead of the talks, say Canada will support calls to scale up climate finance and keep global warming targets within reach. But climate observers say Canada's support for oil and gas expansion, as well as its silence on whether it will meet its 2030 and 2035 emissions targets, could be among issues undermining its position. Advocates pointed to the latest federal budget, which offered no details on how the industrial carbon price would be strengthened, talked of potentially setting aside an oil and gas industry emissions cap and also opened the door to the Canada Infrastructure Bank supporting projects in that sector, rather than limiting its work to sustainability-linked projects. "There's just no way that we can make those commitments given the current ways in which the government is pushing for oil and gas industry in Canada," said Eriel Tchekwie Deranger, president of nonprofit Indigenous Climate Action and a member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. Deranger said Canada has over the past decade been receptive to Indigenous proposals at the UN climate summit, especially around increased funding for adaptation and climate finance. Yet "when it comes to implementation at home, it's falling flat," she said. Who will be there? Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin will lead Canada's delegation for the first week of the conference. Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former UN special envoy on climate finance and veteran of the summit, is not expected to attend as his government faces confidence votes on the budget. There has been reduced participation in pre-summit events, taken by some as a sign of a dwindling global focus on climate change. A meeting of heads of state earlier this week saw about half the attendance that last year's summit had, with notable absences from the leaders of the planet's three biggest polluters: China, the United States and India. This summit will also take place in the shadow of the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Agreement for a second time under President Donald Trump. Abreu said it may be for the best. "I think that that might actually result in the rest of the world being able to come up with some solutions together without that obstructionist presence," she said. Does the Paris Agreement still matter? A decade ago, world leaders adopted a deal in Paris to limit global warming to two degrees and aim for 1.5 C above pre-industrial times, while charting a course for the future of climate diplomacy. Catherine McKenna, who helped negotiate the deal as Canada's then-environment minister, said the deal has been "foundational." Before Paris, there was no clear global temperature target and no framework for how each country could do their part. In 2015, the planet was on track to warm by about 3.5 C by the end of the century, the UN says. Now, if countries live up to their climate plans, that could be closer to 2.5 C. While that is an improvement, experts say that level of warming would still make heat waves unbearable in some areas, threaten coastal countries with sea-level rise and lead to major biodiversity losses, among a range of other issues. "That's not where we need to be," said McKenna. "But (the Paris Agreement) was critically important. Without that, we wouldn't have this framework, we wouldn't have ways to evaluate integrity, we wouldn't have targets." The agreement's legacy is also showing up in the uptake of renewable energy, Abreu said. This year, investments in clean energy are expected to double the money put into fossil fuels. Fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy mix at about 60 per cent, but for the first time, renewable and nuclear energy sources covered two-fifths of total annual power generation in 2024, the International Energy Agency said. What's important now is to see renewables scale up even quicker to push out fossil fuels, she said. "We really need to reach a turning point on that." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2025. — With files from The Associated Press Jordan Omstead, The Canadian Press

MONTREAL — The historic village of Calixa-Lavallée is named after the man who composed the Canadian national anthem, so perhaps it's no surprise its residents take their civic duty seriously. While nearby Montreal reported a voter turnout of 37 per cent in Sunday's municipal elections, more than 78 per cent of the registered voters in the off-island, 500-person South Shore suburb showed up to cast a ballot. "Citizen participation here is always very strong, and this year was especially remarkable," said Pénélope Larose, the town's general manager. "We're a small municipality, so people know each other, they take an interest in what is happening, and they get actively involved in community life." Data released by Quebec's Municipal Affairs Department shows that voter turnout across the province was up, to 41.3 per cent compared to 38.7 per cent in 2021. But more than two dozen towns far surpassed the average, reporting voter turnout of over 70 per cent, according to Elections Canada data. About a half a dozen towns surpassed 80 per cent. Representatives from the high-voting municipalities -- most of them small towns of less than 1,000 people -- attribute their success to their close-knit nature, the effort made by candidates, and to competitive races after years of candidates running unopposed. Calixa-Lavallée is one of those places. Larose says these were the "biggest elections in 20 years," with races for mayor and all six council spots. In 2021, all the candidates were elected by acclamation. "We saw a real surge of enthusiasm with several opinions and different visions that were expressed," she said. It's a similar story in Lac-Édouard, in the Mauricie region, where just over 80 per cent of voters showed up to cast a ballot for one of the two candidates vying to replace the outgoing mayor of 20 years. That mayor, Larry Bernier, said he'd been elected by acclamation for each of his five terms. He thinks the high voter turnout is due partly to the small size of the town -- around 200 residents -- but also the chance to vote for new faces. "I thought I could maybe make some room for others," said Bernier. The almost 80-year-old describes his successor as a dynamic "young lady" in her 50's. "It's a good thing that there were two candidates instead of just one, because that's democracy," he said in a phone interview. Thierry Giasson, a political science professor at Université Laval, says a number of different factors can affect voter turnout, including the perceived competitiveness of the race. The data from the province shows that towns with 2,000 citizens or less vote in higher percentages than their big-city counterparts, which Giasson said might be due in part to greater social pressure. "When we're in a small municipality, you know your neighbours, everyone knows everything about everyone, and the electoral officers are our neighbours, brothers- or sisters-in-law, father, mother ... in short, everyone knows who will vote and who won't," he said. However, he noted that some small towns have low turnout as well -- possibly due to the high number of part-time residents with primary homes in other cities. Of Quebec's five biggest cities, only Quebec City managed to surpass a 50 per cent turnout rate. On the other hand, residents of many Quebec small towns didn't get a chance to vote at all. Just over half of municipal candidates in the province ran unopposed, and more than 4,500 candidates, including 564 mayors, were elected via acclamation. Bernier, the outgoing Lac-Édouard mayor, said the job has become increasingly complex, expanding from simple service delivery to include tourism and economic and social development. All that, he said, for a salary that is often around $10,000 or $12,000 a year, which he says would have worked out to about $3 an hour in his case. Bernier chose instead to decline the "ridiculous" salary. In the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean town of Desbiens, the city's president of elections credits the candidates themselves for a "historic" voter turnout of 72.38 per cent. "They did a lot of door-to-door canvassing during election days. They made phone calls to encourage people to vote," Isabelle Leduc said in an interview. "They really did a great job campaigning and were very present in the field, compared to other years or other towns." She also credits a strong get-out-the-vote effort from the town, a population desiring change, and the implementation for the first time of mobile voting, which may have boosted participation from residents of a seniors home. Like some of the other towns, she said Desbiens also benefited from having a number of competitive races, after previous elections failed to draw more than one candidate for most posts. "I believe this was historic," she said. "We're celebrating our 100 years next year, and these will have been historic elections." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2025. Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Seven weeks ago, Prime Minister Mark Carney assigned former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland to be Canada's new special envoy for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Canadians haven't heard much about the job since, and nothing at all about how Ukraine can be rebuilt while Russia continues its wide-scale bombing of critical infrastructure. But experts say Canada has a major opportunity now to help preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and international law — and to turn a profit in multiple sectors. Here's what we know. What is Freeland's job? It's not clear. The former journalist has not been interviewed by a Canadian news outlet since her appointment, despite multiple requests from The Canadian Press. A September cabinet order establishing Freeland's new role says she is serving as a parliamentary secretary to Carney for a term of 12 months. Alexandre Lévêque, an assistant deputy minister at Global Affairs Canada, told the Senate foreign affairs committee on Oct. 22 that the job comes with a single staff member and support from his team at Global Affairs and the Privy Council. "Madame Freeland, I think, is developing the role, as she's beginning her functions in it," he said. "I think essentially, her role will be to detect opportunities — so bringing … the Canadian private sector, finding investors, finding potential Canadian expertise, particularly in things like infrastructure development (and the) mining industry." In a Nov. 5 response to a parliamentary request for information from Conservative MP Garnett Genuis, the Privy Council Office said the envoy role comes with the $20,000 salary bump all parliamentary secretaries receive. It said “certain expenses" incurred by Freeland, "such as travel, could be paid by the Privy Council Office.” Genuis asked if the job came with any set of goals. The PCO did not offer any but said Freeland will advise the government on both economic reconstruction and Canada's efforts to bring home thousands of abducted Ukrainian children taken into Russia over the course of the war. The PCO also said Freeland would receive no “administrative support," despite Lévêque testifying otherwise. In a recent piece she wrote for The Financial Times, Freeland argued Ukraine can win against Russia if it's sufficiently financed by western countries. She called Ukraine an "innovation nation," citing its remarkable success with a decentralized approach to building drones. In a statement, Freeland's office said she visited Kyiv in September and "the Ukrainian government has since invited Ms. Freeland on an official visit to Ukraine later this year to talk about how Canada can best support Ukraine’s reconstruction." How can you rebuild a country still at war? Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Andrii Plakhotniuk said even with the war going on, his country still manages to export products while building out an arms industry that has been forced to produce rapidly and adapt to new technology on the fly. Plakhotniuk told the Senate committee that Canada already has preferred trade access in Ukraine through its recently updated trade agreement and the goodwill that comes with being a major financial donor. "Ukraine is ready to develop joint production of defence matériel with our partners, including Canada," he testified. While Plakhotniuk did not get into specifics, other countries are showing how such a partnership could work. France's defence ministry is in talks with carmaker Renault about building drones partly or entirely in Ukraine — a partnership that would bring government financing to both Ukrainian and French businesses. "Certainly, we understand the current risk of doing business in Ukraine. My message to all our friends in Canada here is we should use each and every opportunity to start business in Ukraine," Plakhotniuk said, adding that this effort could start with projects in neighbouring countries. "My major message is not to wait (until) we have postwar reconstruction efforts. We need your presence now. We need your good advice, and we need capacity-building and many other things." How keen are Canadian companies? Lévêque testified that a small team of Canadian public servants stationed in Kyiv, and some trade officials in Poland, are working to find economic opportunities for Canadian firms in Ukraine. He conceded they've seen limited progress. "Given the risk that exists, both to their physical safety and to their investments, a lot of these business arrangements are outside the country," he said in French. "The fact is that the appetite of Canadian companies to do business in Ukraine remains relatively limited at this time." Still, he said, the government sends representatives to various "reconstruction fairs" that bring businesses and governments together to discuss projects to further Ukraine's recovery. "We also send our ministers and trade commissioners, as well as Crown corporations such as Export Development Canada and the Canadian Commercial Corporation, which are there to facilitate this type of trade, especially when it comes to investments in the military sector or between governments," he testified in French. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2025. Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press

It wasn’t easy, but the Saskatchewan Roughriders are off to the Grey Cup. Quarterback Trevor Harris led a game-winning touchdown drive to propel the Riders to a 24-21 win over the visiting B.C. Lions. Harris connected with Tommy Nield for a three-yard touchdown with just :11 seconds to take the lead. It was a seven-play, 76-yard drive. Harris finished with 305 yards and two touchdowns. The Riders will take on the Montreal Alouettes in the 2025 Grey Cup in Winnipeg on Nov. 16. More to come…

by Jeremy Simes SASKATOON — Premier Scott Moe received healthy support from members at the Saskatchewan Party’s convention Saturday despite his dismal performance in the province’s two major cities in the last election. Moe received an approval rating of more than 80 per cent. An exact percentage was not provided by organizers. Read more:

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Before the vote, he told the crowd he’s owning up to losses from the last election. “It was a step backwards for us and a step backwards for the Saskatchewan Party. For that, I take responsibility,” he said. “I was the face of the campaign and we didn’t always get it right.” Moe won a fifth-straight majority in 2024 but was swept out of Regina and held on to only one Saskatoon riding. His government has 34 seats in the legislature while the Opposition NDP has 27. Political watchers have said the Saskatchewan Party lost the cities due to growing issues of overcrowded classrooms and hospitals. Party members have also said they were disappointed in the election results and have urged Moe to do better on addressing urban issues. At the convention, members were passing around buttons that read “Earn Saskatoon Back” and “Earn Regina Back.” Moe told the gathering the party need to refocus, organize and do better. Potential candidates for the next election can start seeking their nominations early next year, a move he said will get them acquainted with the public sooner. “This is not the time for any of us in this room or in this province to in any way become complacent,” Moe said. “We cannot afford to take anything for granted as we move forward.” Moe also plans on running as leader in the next election. “I will never, ever take that support for granted,” he said. Poor performance in cities Asked by a delegate about poor performance in the major cities, Moe said members are going to have to find areas where they can agree. He said the party’s founding legislature members, four Liberals and four Progressive Conservatives, came together to form the Saskatchewan Party in 1997. “They realized that in order for us to win, we’re going to have to bite our tongue just a little bit at times, or we can go back to being in opposition,” he said. “I think that’s a good reminder for us.” Moe received an approval rating of 97 per cent at the last convention in 2023. Asked about his new approval rating, he later told reporters it’s good. “In this day and age, what we’re trying to do is keep the support for the party strong,” he said. “Our real goal here is very much about the next election.” Moe told the convention he offers a stable choice to voters who want the economy to grow, arguing the NDP is “lost and reckless.” “It would be my true honour to continue to lead this party, to lead our team to that sixth-consecutive Saskatchewan Party victory,” he said. Meanwhile at the convention, members passed a motion that strips voting powers from permanent residents and youth. Now, only Canadian adult citizens can vote on party matters. They also elected Joe Hargrave as the new president of the party. Hargrave, a former legislature member who did not seek reelection, served as a cabinet minister in Moe’s last government. Read more:

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The Moose Jaw Central Collegiate Cyclones dominantly capped their season Saturday, defeating the F.W. Johnson Wildcats 51–8 in the 5A provincial football championship at a snowy Gutheridge Field. The Cyclones stormed out to a 30–0 lead after the first quarter, added to it in the third, and never let up on their way to the provincial crown. Read more:

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Moose Jaw struck early with one rushing touchdown, two passing touchdowns, a defensive fumble return, and a field goal in the opening quarter. Both teams went scoreless in the second before the Cyclones broke things open again in the third with three more passing touchdowns to go up 51–0. Regina avoided the shutout in the final quarter, scoring on a rushing touchdown to make it 51–8 by the final whistle. After the game, Cyclones players celebrated by diving into the snow drifts while fans cheered from the sidelines. The victory capped a perfect postseason for Central, which earned the right to host the final after edging Prince Albert Carlton 31–24 in the semifinals. For the Wildcats, the loss ended an otherwise undefeated run that included a 44–3 city championship win over Thom Collegiate. With Saturday’s win, the Cyclones claimed provincial supremacy and closed out their season with a dominant home-field performance. Read more:

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By Susan McNeil The Métis grandfather of a Prince Albert man hated Nazism so fiercely that he not only signed up to fight in the Second World War, he also fought the government for the right to join in the first place. Jim Brady was initially denied entry into the Armed Forces because he was considered a communist, but after persisting he was accepted in June 1943. Read more:

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John Brady McDonald, Jim’s grandson, never met his grandfather but has spent a lot of time learning about him. “He wanted to fight because he was such a strident and strong anti-fascist. He despised Nazism. He despised Hitler,” said McDonald. “He knew from what he could see the horrors that fascism was bringing to Europe.” “They actually refused to let him serve, and he had to fight to get in to fight.” Jim Brady. (Glenbow Archives/Submitted to PANow) Brady enlisted as a gunner in the Royal Canadian Artillery and saw action in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. He was also in Germany before returning to Canada the year after the war ended. He was not just a fighter in a global conflict, though he became a well-known figure to Métis people in Saskatchewan and Alberta for leading the groups into some uncharted waters. Brady was a founding member of both the Métis Nation of Alberta and Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. He grew up in Alberta but moved to northern Saskatchewan after his military service ended. That’s why his family went through the effort of having a headstone cenotaph installed at Batoche, 50 km south of Prince Albert — now a national historic site, but home to Saskatchewan’s Métis people since 1884. “My grandfather Jim Brady is one of the most well-known, greatest and is considered one of the greatest Métis leaders in Canadian history,” McDonald explained. Brady kept a diary of his military service in Europe, which now sits at the Glenbow Museum and Archive in Calgary, and is still studied by military historians to this day. He spent his working career as a conservation officer for the Department of Natural Resources. He lived in Deschambault Lake, Cumberland House and La Ronge. Brady’s body isn’t under the cenotaph nor is it in a graveyard. It’s believed to be at the bottom of Lower Foster Lake, further north, after he went missing in June 1967, along with Absolum Halkett from La Ronge. The circumstances were mysterious, according to his grandson and the Canadian Encyclopedia, which has a lengthy article on his life. An extensive search of the lake did not result in any success. The men were gone, but their camp remained at the shore along with their canoes in the water. If and when his body is recovered, his family plans to lay him to rest in Batoche. “There were many options open for us to have a memorial headstone for him,” McDonald said. Brady made his mark across western Canada, but McDonald said one of his aunts summed it up best when she said he belongs at Batoche because he belongs to the Métis Nation. Service a family tradition Like many families, military service is not limited to one member. McDonald had two great uncles who were in the Second World War and fought at Vimy Ridge, one of whom died in the battle. His remains were never found and are still there. The other uncle was given a medal and later became one of the founding members of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). The Mistawasis Nêhiyawak community sent 18 of their young men off to war, including McDonald’s cousin Harvey Dreaver. Historians believe Dreaver was the first Indigenous soldier and a sergeant with the Regina Rifles to land on Juno Beach on D-Day. He was killed in action in October 1944 during the Battle of the Leopold Canal. Another great uncle fought in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in 1943 and was wounded. McDonald himself and his triplet daughters have all gone through the cadet program. One of those daughters is now one of the highest-ranked cadets in Canada, and another is in the Raven Program, ranked as a Seaman Third Class in the Royal Canadian Navy. “The work they do through the cadet program and through the Raven program is amazing, and I’m very, very proud of what they’ve done and what they’ve achieved.” McDonald’s step-grandfather from Muskoday Cree Nation was in the Royal Canadian Engineers, signing up as a 40-year-old and helping liberate a concentration camp after also being part of the Juno Beach landing. Canada will celebrate Remembrance Day on Nov. 11 and Indigenous Veterans Day today. Near Prince Albert, Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation held a ceremony that included a roll call, honour song, flag raising, wreath laying, a victory song and a Royal Canadian Air Force flyby. Read more:

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by Brieanna Charlebois 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. Read more:

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“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 today, 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. A political statement for some 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 Second World War 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. “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.” Number of Indigenous veterans may be understated 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.” Read more:

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By Susan McNeil A Saskatchewan woman who has been a longtime advocate for Indigenous rights, mental health and trauma-informed care has won a prestigious award from the United Nations. Brenda Reynolds is one of two people to be given the Nelson Mandela Award, which is only handed out every five years to recipients who reflect the South African leader’s legacy. It is given to one man and one woman, but one of them must be from Africa. Read more:

• Indigenous leaders say federal budget falls short on health care, education
• Listen to Meeting Ground with David Kirton
• Lack of ER support tops health complaints list for First Nations patients

“I was just completely, completely honoured to be selected and, for a prize under his name. To be awarded it and being from a reserve in Saskatchewan, from Fishing Lake, is just absolutely unbelievable and extraordinary,” said Reynolds. She first became known for her advocacy in 1988, when she helped 17 teenage girls in the first residential school sexual abuse case in Saskatchewan at George Gordon First Nation. “Back in 1988, when I was first working with students at Gordon’s Indian Residential School when it was still open, there were 17 girls that disclosed to me and the RCMP constable that they were being sexually abused by a staff member,” Reynolds said. That led to the very first charge of abuse in a residential school in Saskatchewan, which in turn led to the largest class action lawsuit in Canada, the Indian Residential School Settlement, and that led to her being named a special advisor to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission where she helped shape survivor support and trauma responses. She has also developed a health support program from that experience, which provides culturally-grounded mental health care for residential school survivors and their families. It was the first of its kind in the world. Breaking new ground is still not in Reynolds’ past. She is the first Canadian and the first Indigenous person in the world to get the Mandela Award. “Brenda is the first Indigenous person to receive this award,” said Betty Nippi-Albright, a Saskatoon MLA and Saskatchewan NDP critic for mental health and addictions. She hosted a reception in Reynolds’ honour on Nov. 6 in Regina. “She is an inspiration to us all. I’m sure I can speak for everyone when I say I can’t wait to see what Brenda does next,” said Nippi-Albright. The selection committee included Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly, and representatives from Egypt, Finland, Poland, Bahrain and the permanent representative from South Africa, Mandela’s home country. “To be recognized for that was really, really amazing because I’ve always admired Nelson Mandela and the work it is that he has done in terms of peace and reconciliation. Not only that, but the way that he did it was just admirable,” Reynolds said. Reynolds said she has always seen a lot of parallels between South Africa and Canada and that has helped the award resonate with her. Reynolds is a status treaty member of the Fishing Lake Saulteaux First Nation, which is southeast of Humboldt. Reynolds grew up on a reserve and at age 66, her life’s work in her chosen field of social work has all been on one reserve or another. She still works on a reserve and is getting ready to defend her doctoral thesis. Given her inevitable position as a role model for younger women, especially those living on reserves like she has done, Reynolds has some words of advice based on her own childhood influences. “As a child I was already interested in human behaviour and trying to understand human behaviour. My grandmother Violet was the one that taught me about that. I swear she would have been a psychologist if she was even allowed to go to university at the time.” Follow your curiosity, is her message. “It’s in the understanding of why and how it is that we live as Indigenous people that has led me to what it is I have done, so follow your curiosity, ask questions and learn.” Being a life-long learner is a valuable trait and one she takes to heart, pursuing her doctorate in her 60s. “I’m 66 but I’m still in school. I’ll never stop learning. I really believe that following what it is that is interesting to you and don’t let any barriers prevent you from doing something it is that you’re interested in.” In 2023, Reynolds was invited by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union to share her expertise on trauma and cultural genocide. She shares the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize with Kennedy Odede, who went from living on the streets at age 10 in Kenya to becoming one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2024. Read more:

• Indigenous leaders say federal budget falls short on health care, education
• Listen to Meeting Ground with David Kirton
• Lack of ER support tops health complaints list for First Nations patients

Those who have undergone successful corrective procedures for irregular heart beats may no longer need to commit to long-term blood thinning therapy, an international study co-led by Canadian researchers suggests. Researchers behind the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine say the discovery could potentially alter the clinical care of millions of people around the world. The randomized study involved more than 1,200 patients who had undergone an ablation for atrial fibrillation, a procedure that involves altering the electrical signals in the heart through the use of a catheter. The randomized trial then compared how one group reacted to taking rivaroxaban, a commonly prescribed anticoagulant, with another prescribed low doses of aspirin. “The guidelines have said that even if your doctor does an ablation and feels it's successful, you should continue your blood thinners for life,” said Dr. Atul Verma, a senior cardiovascular scientist based at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal who co-led the trial. “We decided to do this trial to see if this was actually necessary.” Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia and affects one per cent of all Canadians, and five per cent of those above the age of 65, he said. After following the patients over the course of three years, researchers found there was no significant difference in the rates of stroke and embolism, the obstruction or blockage of blood vessels, between the two groups. “We were a little surprised by the results,” Verma said. “It appears that atrial fibrillation ablation, when successful, not only lowers the amount of atrial fibrillation, but also seems to drastically lower the risk of stroke.” Brain MRIs were also conducted on patients at the beginning of the study and the end three years later to look for signs of silent strokes, he said, which revealed low rates between both groups. "The rate of stroke or silent stroke in these patients was really, really low," Verma said. "It was so low that we could not detect any difference between continuing blood thinners or going on aspirin." That brain imaging revealed that after three years, 96 per cent of patients showed no signs of silent strokes, he highlighted. Anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners, work to prevent blood clots from forming, but have been known to cause bleeding. That could include excessive bleeding from cuts, blood in the urine, or heavy menstrual bleeding. Verma said many patients are eager to get off them, since the bleeding they can cause, say in the instance of an accident, can be life-threatening. "The first thing they ask is, can I stop this blood thinner? I like to go skiing, I like to work in my garage, I'm at risk of bleeding by taking these things," Verma said. "And now for a certain substantial portion of those patients, I think we can say, yes you can." Dr. David Birnie, a professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, and the head of its Ottawa Heart Institute, which was involved in the study, called the findings a "game-changer." "Our results show that one year after a successful ablation, the risk of stroke is so low that the downsides of continuing blood thinners outweigh the benefits, meaning many patients can safely stop," Birnie, who also co-led the trial, said through a press release. Over 50 cardiovascular research centres across Canada, Europe, China and Australia were involved, a collaboration coordinated by Dr. George Wells, the director of cardiovascular research at the Ottawa Heart Institute. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press

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
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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 said 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, said 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 said the testing took place at the intake for the Savona Community Water System. "At this time, there is no contamination of the water system, and there remains no direct impact to drinking water in Savona as a result of the...train derailment that occurred on Nov. 1, 2025," Grenier said. Grenier's post comes after test results from all water samples taken earlier this week showed no detections above provincial safety thresholds for drinking water or aquatic life. Grenier said 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. He added that TNRD will provide an update when these results are available. Grenier said 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, if necessary. "There are other privately owned and operated water systems that draw water from Kamloops Lake, including Tobiano," Grenier said. "If you have questions about a private water system, contact your water system provider." Rail operator Canadian Pacific Kansas City said in a statement released Friday 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. The statement from Canadian Pacific Kansas City said crews have so far removed four rail cars. "Work to safely remove the remaining cars from the site is expected in the coming days," it said. The statement said that the sampling of water and its analysis continues. "Containment booms remain in the water along the shore," it reads. "We remain fully committed to the cleanup of the site." 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:

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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:

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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

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