Charles ‘Charlie’ Coffey takes home $25 million

Charlie Coffey is used to dealing with money. The Carleton County native built his career in the banking industry. He now lives in Toronto, Ontario, where he purchased the winning ticket for the Jan. 31 draw and took home $25 million.

The 81-year-old officer of the Order of Canada grew up in Woodstock, New Brunswick, the seventh of nine children. He picked up the ticket when he got gas and a treat at a local service station.

“When I checked my tickets on the self-scanner, one wasn’t a winner, but the other was. I thought I saw $25,000 and said to myself, ‘That’s interesting,’” Coffey explained during an interview when he picked up his winnings. “But I didn’t have my glasses on, so I got them out, went back to check what I thought was a $25,000 ticket, and saw $25 million.”

Throughout his career, Coffey advocated for causes in Toronto and across Canada, supporting Indigenous communities, early childhood development, women entrepreneurs, women in public office, education, and diversity.

Coffey was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003 and was named an Honorary Chief by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to recognize his support for First Nations. He also received the Canadian Women’s International Business Initiative Award from the Canadian Embassy in the U.S.

“This win gives me the opportunity to sustainably support the causes I have championed for decades,” he said.

“I believe in the premise of a hand-up versus a handout and want to support organizations that need a stronger voice. The motto for the Order of Canada is ‘They desire a better country,’ and that speaks to me. A desire for a better Toronto, a better Ontario, and a better Canada, in particular for our Indigenous peoples.”

Coffey said he’s “overwhelmed, humbled, and filled with gratitude by this massive lottery windfall.”

“I’m excited to plan a wonderful family holiday so that we can celebrate and make more precious memories together.”

The post Former Woodstock native wins big with Lotto Max first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A coalition of unions representing workers at Memorial University is calling on the provincial government for an increase in funding as MUN stares down a nearly $9-million budgetary deficit.

The province began the process years ago to make the university more autonomous of government.

Bill Kavanaugh, the president of CUPE Local 1615, is leading a coalition of close to 20 unions and campus associations calling for government to restore funding to MUN.

He says they’ve reached out to the premier on the issue, but have yet to hear back as a coalition.

Kavanagh says worker morale at the university is being affected, and the infrastructure is “crumbling.”

He says the level of disrepair at the university is symbolic of the issues at other levels of the institution, including labour, curriculum, student services, cuts to courses and understaffing.

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a visit to Edmonton on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)

WINNIPEG — Manitoba is ramping up pressure on the federal government to tighten bail laws, joining forces with premiers across Canada in a call for swift action from Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Premier Wab Kinew and Justice Minister Matt Wiebe announced the initiative Friday, emphasizing the need for stricter bail conditions to enhance public safety. The push comes in response to recent violent incidents, including the death of Manitoban Kellie Verwey, allegedly killed by a man who was out on bail despite multiple violations.

“We won’t stop our advocacy to the federal government to improve bail reform in this country,” said Kinew. “Our voice is stronger together and we’re pleased other premiers have joined our call to reform bail. It’s the right thing to do, especially for Manitoban families and the family of Kellie Verwey.”

The provinces, through a joint letter to Carney and Canada’s justice minister, acknowledged recent changes under Bill C-48 but urged further reforms to strengthen bail and sentencing laws. Manitoba’s five-point bail plan and electronic monitoring program are already in place, but Wiebe stressed that federal action is crucial.

“We’ll continue to push for these important changes until these tragedies are left in the past,” Wiebe said.

The letter, signed by all members of the Council of the Federation, builds on previous efforts to enhance bail conditions nationwide.

After a 17-week long strike that spanned multiple cities, almost all of Alberta’s education support workers have ratified the tentative agreements between their union locals and their employer school divisions. 

Education workers at the Foothills School Division operating out of High River are the last group to vote on their tentative agreement. Voting is expected to wrap on Friday. 

Workers stayed on the picket lines through temperatures as low as -51 degrees. The strike included more than 6,600 workers across the province. The Alberta branch of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said the provincial government imposed a bargaining mandate that limited the wage offers school boards could make. This mandate had impeded free bargaining. 

READ MORE: CUPE education workers in Fort Mac and Edmonton reach settlement deal

The tentative deals struck include wage offers that exceed the mandate imposed by the Provincial government. In a press release, CUPE Alberta president Rory Gill said he was “in awe” of the workers who fought to secure these wage increases. 

“Education support workers are critical to our school system, and today they finally won the respect they deserve,” he said.

Lou Arab, a communications representative for the union, said the strike spread across the province because workers had no other choice. Many education workers were making about $34,500 and had not seen a wage increase in almost a decade. Workers were ready to assert their power because they were fed up. And the conditions of their work had garnered support from unexpected places. 

Over the course of the strike, two school board trustees had resigned in support of the education support workers’ demands. Trisha Estabrooks, a former trustee for the Edmonton Public School Board, resigned from her position in January and joined CUPE workers on the picket line. Marcia Hole, another trustee for the same school board, resigned the next month. In a statement on social media, Hole said she is not able to serve the public as a school board trustee in Alberta’s current political climate. 

“The knowledge, skill and commitment support staff contribute to school communities is essential,” Hole’s statement reads. “I stand with them, and the students and families they serve, as they fight the provincial government for their right to earn a living wage which is a crucial factor in school boards’ ability to attract and retain support staff.” 

Arab, said the actions of Hole and Etsabrooks were both surprising and unsurprising. These actions show the power the CUPE has built and the support people are willing to give to workers. 

“It shows that Albertans understand the connection between well paid support staff and a properly functioning education system, and that’s heartening,” Arab said. 

He said education support workers deserve full credit for these victories. As well, Arab said he hopes the momentum they created can galvanize other public sector workers who have been shortchanged by Alberta’s government. 

“You know what? 2025 is a big bargaining year for the public sector in Alberta, not just for CUPE, but for other public sector unions as well,” Arab said. “What these workers show is that if you work together and if you fight hard and you stand strong, you can win.”

The post Alberta education workers’ victory highlights public sector union power appeared first on rabble.ca.

The challenge in adapting popular Disney animated films into “live-action” spectacles is two-fold: how do you bring to life the unlimited possibilities and artistry of animation to the real world and, at least in the case of Snow White, how do you update a nearly century old film for a new audience. Despite what some unhealthily invested adults may want you to believe, let’s not forget these movies are fundamentally intended for children. They not only need to appeal to a new generation of kids who live in a far different world then 1930s America, but imbue the story with the values and lessons more reflective of our current moment.

In that sense. Marc Webb’s Snow White isn’t a total failure. There are some sincere attempts at creating a colourful and rich movie that more often than not transcends the cheap look of a lot of contemporary Disney movies. The tricks are simple; stuff the background with coloured flowers as often as possible, use coloured gels and actually embrace (at least at times) engaging montage. This isn’t big brained stuff, but it does make a difference. While large portions of the movie, particularly in the second half, still looks like a bunch of theatre kids running around the woods in off-the-rack costumes — they could have done worse.

The changes to the storyline remove focus from Snow White’s dream of being swept away by a handsome prince. Her quest becomes rooted instead in becoming a strong and empathetic leader, following in her parents footsteps by leading with kindness and grace. Rachel Zegler, an exceptional talent, sells this almost naive perspective with self-awareness and earnestness. If the film succeeds in any way, it’s almost solely due to her charisma and talent. Her presence lights up the screen; it’s easy to understand how the character’s around her naturally fall for her.

The admirable attempt to reframe the story also takes it off track however. The movie works best when it sticks to the original. The interjection of new subplots and characters only barely work to a more discerning audience, though they might sell better with young children. Among the film’s changes, perhaps the most successful among them, is the bolstering of Dopey as a character – which lends the movie a tenderness that emphasizes its “lead with kindness” ethos in a way that feels personalized and relatable. 

Unfortunately, Snow White has a big problem, a Gal Gadot problem. Unable to rise to the occasion, Gadot attempts to lean into camp to sell a role that extends far beyond her talents. She seems uncomfortable in her skin and unable to sell even the most throwaway lines. As some right-wing trolls call for a boycott of the film due to Zegler’s casting (she’s not white enough, apparently), the only affirmative action going on in this film is continuing to hire an untalented hack who supports Israel’s genocide against Palestine. Gadot’s presence is more than just a black mark on this particular film but reflective of a media conglomerate that’s long been far too happy and eager to get into bed with the American military and propagate its values. If this becomes a radicalizing moment for some viewers, as the pro-Israel Captain America film was earlier this year, all the better. 

Snow White isn’t a total mess, but it can’t stand up to the original. The desire to remake popular Disney classics isn’t rooted in a benevolent desire to create new stories for young people, but ultimately in a rather craven desire to cash in. Though better than some of the other recent attempts at creating “live-action” adaptations of popular animated films, these movies don’t hold anything to the artistry and sensitivity of the original movies. Though admirable that they attempt to reframe Snow White’s quest from lovelorn princess into a strong leader, it’s just not enough to make this film wholeheartedly worth recommending. ■

Snow White opens in Montreal theatres on Friday, March 21.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit our Film & TV section.

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A conversation between housing justice advocates and researchers

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A section of Hwy. 401 is closed Friday after a Londoner was killed in an early morning crash near Dutton-Dunwich. 

Hamilton Police have arrested an Alberta man in the shooting death of Jeff Nyhuis of Waterdown. Corey Mahoney is charged with second degree murder after Hamilton Police travelled to a small community south of Calgary to pick up Mahoney who was arrested by local RCMP.

Police were called on March 6, after a friend of Nyhuis went to his Waterdown home and found him deceased. Hamilton Police Detective David Brewster told reporters that friends of Nyhuis assisted them in identifying the suspect who had apparently been a guest in the Nyhuis residence for a few days prior to the shooting which police say took place Monday, March 3rd. Police believe Nyhuis and Mahoney were alone in the house when the shooting took place. So far a weapon has not been recovered. Nyhuis, 55, a father of two adult children, was living alone at the house in Waterdown.

The shooting death was Hamilton’s third homicide of 2025.

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