Activists sprayed paint on the exterior of a Tesla dealership in Montreal on Wednesday, as cases of vandalism climb in the United States and around the world against Elon Musk's electric car company.

During debate Tuesday, Coun. Earlene MacMullin unexpectedly proposed an amendment to immediately appoint Demetri Kachafanas permanently to the role of CAO — a position he's held on an interim basis since Marie Walsh retired in the fall.

According to Earthquakes Canada, the 3.8-magnitude earthquake occurred minutes before noon. Its epicentre was located 17 kilometres located southwest of L'Annonciation, Que., and about 110 kilometres northeast of Ottawa.

OTTAWA – The former Conservative Party campaign staffer convicted in the 2011 “Robocalls” election scandal is facing four assault charges in Ottawa, including two counts of alleged assault by choking of a woman.

Michael Sona, 36, was found guilty in 2014 on one count of trying to prevent electors from voting, related to his role in misleading automated telephone calls sent to voters on election day in 2011 in the federal riding of Guelph.

The recorded messages purported to be from Elections Canada and advised, falsely, that the location of their polling stations had been changed.

Sona, who worked on the campaign of Conservative candidate Marty Burke during the election, denied involvement in the fraudulent calls but was found guilty and sentenced to nine months in jail –  a sentence that withstood appeal.

According to an Information laid against Sona by Ottawa Police on January 28, 2025, he is now charged with assault, assault causing bodily harm, and assault by choking, on January 25. 

He faces an additional charge of assault by choking dating back to August 2023.

All the charges are related to the same alleged victim, a woman.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The day after he was charged, Sona posted on his Instagram account that, “Sometimes you have a weird week that throws you for a loop.”

Sona’s Ontario-based lawyer, Kanwar Gujral, said his client has pleaded not guilty and intends to contest the charges. 

Sona appeared in court on Tuesday on a bail matter and remains released with conditions. He is scheduled to appear in court next on May 2 – by coincidence, the 14^th anniversary of the Pierre Poutine robocalls on election day, 2011.

In finding Sona guilty in 2014, trial judge Judge Gary Hearn said it was possible others were involved in the elaborate scheme. The court heard that the robocalls were made using phone numbers from the Conservative Party’s database of identified Liberal supporters and a burner cellphone registered with the bogus name Pierre Poutine used to make more than 6,000 fraudulent calls on election day. 

The effort proved futile as the incumbent Liberal candidate in the riding held onto his seat, even as then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper led the Conservatives to their first majority government.

Despite his conviction, Sona has never admitted involvement or identified any others who may have participated. 

After serving his sentence, Sona worked as a machinist in the Ottawa area.

Provincial Liberal leadership candidate John Abbott is calling on Memorial University to restore the Ode to Newfoundland at convocation ceremonies.

The controversial decision to drop the Ode two years ago ruffled a lot of feathers, even resulting in MHAs to raise their voices in the House of Assembly in an impromptu rendition of the anthem.

Abbott says despite having struck a committee to discuss convocation ceremonies, the university has yet to resolve the matter.

Abbott says the university should be asking how Labradorians and Indigenous communities should be recognized at convocation ceremonies instead of simply dropping the Ode altogether.

1933 – 2025

James (Jim) C. Beer passed away on March 10, 2025, at Pincher Creek hospital. We say goodbye to our dear husband, dad, brother, uncle and Grandpa B with heavy hearts.

Jim was born to Cecil and Audrey Beer on Dec. 19, 1951, in Pincher Creek, Alta. He was the middle child of seven, with three older and three younger sisters.

Jim drove graders for the MD and Town of Pincher Creek for many years, but owning and operating Hawkeye Stables for 27 years was the joy of his life. He and his wife, Celeste, built Hawkeye Stables into a success and, through it, met so many people, made so many friends, and created countless stories and memories.

Those who knew Jim knew that every one of his scars came with a somewhat unbelievable story. If you knew Jim, you have your own story, a chuckle, and likely a scar!

Jim’s greatest pride and joy were his two children, Ken and Kristine. His profound love for his children was unconditional and unwavering to the end and beyond.

Jim is survived by his loving wife, Celeste; his son, Ken (Shannon) Beer; his stepsons, Daniel and TJ (Alisha) Oreel; and grandchildren Latoya, Jacy, Kylie, Ava and Rylan. Jim is also lovingly remembered by his sisters and their spouses: Betty (Larry) Hildreth, Wendy (Jerry) Muelaner and Marj (Mike) Davis. Jim will be forever missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was predeceased by his parents, Cecil (1996) and Audrey (2020); daughter Kristine (2018); and sisters Gail (2015), Linda (2018) and Carol (2024).

The days will be long until we meet again.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Condolences may be registered at www.edensfuneralhome.com/obituary/JamesJim-Beer.

Arrangements entrusted to Eden’s Funeral Home.

The obituary for Jim C. Beer appeared in the Mar. 19, 2025, issue of Shootin’ the Breeze. Condolences are extended to family and friends.

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Two of the victims sexually assaulted by a former teacher when they were children stood in a Moncton courtroom Wednesday to describe how their lives have been changed by his actions.

The routine consideration of a report from the Light Rail Subcommittee triggered a long-overdue string of questions about the federal contribution of $1.7 billion, without which the Hamilton LRT project would have remained dead after it was cancelled by the Ford Government in December 2019. The conversation was triggered by a line in the LRT report that noted the committee was going to insist that Metrolinx start attending the meetings of the subcommittee. At that same meeting members were getting a report on street furniture and other streetscape amenities that might be incorporated in the LRT design.

Earlier in the meeting members heard a presentation from Karl Andrus, who is a member of the LRT subcommittee, in his Capacity as Chair of the Hamilton Community Benefits Network. It was Andrus, once an advocate for LRT, who told council last November that Hamilton had lost 16,000 units of “market-affordable” housing, in part due to a tenfold increase in property values along the proposed LRT route, and that there appeared to be no concrete plan to do anything about it.

In response to questions from Councillor Clark, staff said they were working on a strategy that would see Metrolinx return some of the property they had expropriated, and where, in many cases had demolished existing structures, for use as affordable housing.  The city already has several former city parking lots earmarked for affordable housing that at present have no funding in place for construction—this would add more to the list of unfunded sites. The other question this raises is why is Metrolinx expropriating property and demolishing structures that contained either total or partially, affordable housing that it ends up not needing? In other words, why is Hamilton relying on what are essentially mistakes by Metrolinx to address its affordable housing crisis?

Clark hit on another key issue—who says Metrolinx would turn the properties back for free? They are in the transit business, with their own budgetary accountability– not the affordable housing business. In 2022, Metrolinx sold a parking lot in Port Credit — located next to a GO station, right at the start of the Hurontario LRT line — to a private developer for $64.5 million, with no requirement for any affordable housing.

Community benefits, including affordable housing, were promised by former Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna when she announced the Federal government’s decision to fund the project with half of the $3.4 Million. She referred to community benefits as “conditions” for the funding, leading some to believe that there was going to be explicit senior government funding to support such initiatives. As it turns out there is no special funding beyond existing programs for affordable housing that all municipalities can access. She’s not running in the upcoming election but Hamilton’s representative on the Trudeau Cabinet, Filomena Tassi has twice stated that the federal share is contingent on a business plan from the province that includes affordable housing.

Also appearing as a delegate was Andrew Selman who chastised council for the botched procurement process for the Barton-Tiffany shelter ranging from cost overruns, public consultation failure and the key shortcoming–failure to get the project up and running until winter was nearly over. As bad as that example may be, the city is staring at what is becoming a generational failure by successive councils—continued blind support of a project whose only accomplishment so far is the displacement of thousands of low-income renters, and which has half of its funding in limbo. This at a time when, with an unknown real cost, definitely not $3.4 billion, senior governments might be persuaded to repurpose the funding to Hamilton’s real transit and infrastructure needs. Our leaders are either stubbornly unwilling or afraid to broach the subject.

Manitoba’s youth advocate says the provincial government needs to take action against people who “coerce, lure, or exploit children for sexual acts, the sex trade, and child sexual abuse material.”

“It’s clear that there’s an exploitation epidemic in Manitoba,” said Sherry Gott, Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth in an email to APTN News. “Manitoba must act in the best interest of young people and at this time, they simply are not. Tracia’s Trust Strategy is extremely out of date, out of touch, and the Government of Manitoba must do better to protect children and youth across the province.”

According the province’s website, Tracia’s Trust Strategy, developed in 2002, the Department of Families is responsible for “coordinating the implementation of the Manitoba Strategy, with other partner departments and agencies leading specific responses within the Strategy. The Strategy includes initiatives in the areas of prevention, intervention, legislation, coordination, research and evaluation.”

MACY said the statement is being released after the office disseminated new data around child exploitation.

Gott’s office is “calling for an end to the province’s alarming demand for sex with children in exchange for money, drugs, shelter, food, protection, or other necessities.”

“Sexual exploitation of an individual under the age of 18 is illegal and clearly defined and interpreted as child abuse and sexual assault. Children have a right to protection from harm – including abuse, exploitation, and from being bought and sold,” she said.

According to MACY, children as young as eight are being bought for sex “despite the Government of Manitoba’s legal obligation to protest these children from harm.”

“Each year, more than 400 children in Manitoba are exploited in the visible sex trade, which represents only 10 per cent of cases due to the hidden and underground nature of child sexual abuse,” said Gott. “Behind closed doors and online, thousands of children are exploited in Manitoba’s invisible sex trade each year.”

Gott said a number of issues are making children more vulnerable to predators including the ongoing mental health and addictions crisis; high rates of apprehension in the child welfare system, incarceration and missing youth and poverty.

“It’s crucial to youth who are sexually exploited or at risk of being exploited that a full continuum of culturally-appropriate mental health and addiction resources are available, that specialized placements for youth who are not able to remain in their family homes exist within Manitoba, and that enhanced supports for young people aging out of publicly-funded services, including the child welfare system, are available,” said Gott. “Children and youth don’t just deserve to have these needs addressed – they have an inherent right to it under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

Gott said despite her office asking the government to act, “Manitoba’s strategy to end child sexual exploitation continue to remain static.”

“Investments in child sexual exploitation prevention, early detection, and intervention remain unchanged. This is unacceptable. As such, MACY, again, reiterates its call to Manitoba to update Tracia’s Trust strategy to end sexual exploitation and sex trafficking in our province,” said Gott.

The statement released by MACY said service providers across the province must be involved in action including identifying trends in child sexual exploitation.

“Manitoba’s complicit in thousands of cases occurring each year – including in your community – where updates to Tracia’s Trust could have stopped an offender from coercing, luring, and exploiting children into sexual acts, the sex trade, and child sexual abuse material in exchange for money, drugs, shelter, food, protection, or other necessities,” said Gott. “Manitoba needs to stop letting kids get exploited by closing the gaps in Tracia’s Trust, which is a quarter century old at this point, that make it easier for predators to abuse children throughout the province every day.”

More to come.

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A longtime Yellowknife nurse said her profession needs its own collective agreement in the N.W.T. to address the current nursing shortage the territory is experiencing.

Quebec announced it is changing the rules to allow restaurants to charge clients who don't honour their reservations. The government says it's not meant to compensate restaurant owners for potential losses but to act as a disincentive to those who 'abuse reservations.'

The Quebec government says it’s drafting a bill to allow restaurants to charge people who reserve a table but don’t show up and don’t cancel ahead of time.

Restaurants would be able to charge up to $10 a person for no-shows, but only if the reservation is for five people or more.

However, restaurateurs would not be allowed to charge the fee if at least one member of the group shows up to eat.

Canadians can expect to feel the absence of the consumer carbon price at the pump immediately but it may take longer to notice a difference in the price of other goods, a new report released Wednesday suggests.

"Being Canadian is not just having health care. It's believing in a social democracy that redistributes and tries to be good to everybody. We've shown that as a modern country, that's who we want to be."

The post ‘Taste of Trump a great way to get over a hangover’: Political sociologist on Canada’s current moment appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

Portage-Lisgar MP Branden Leslie is feeling optimistic Saturday's townhall in Altona answered some questions that area residents have been raising as the border security discussion continues to unfold. The Conservative MP hosted the townhall in response to inquiries that have been filtering into his office in recent months.

"I started to receive a number of calls from folks in this area that have had personal experiences; whether they'd seen someone that had crossed the border in a ditch and wondered what to do, or they'd actually picked someone up themselves," explained Leslie. "I think there was a lack of awareness, beyond calling the police, of what the process and procedures should be for people that encounter (illegal crossers or human smugglers), particularly at a time that there was a fear of an increase in pe

As a politician, Leslie says he wasn't necessarily the one to answer those questions so, he reached out to the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to help. In the end, the townhall included a member of the RCMP fielding questions from residents about what to do.

"Some of the questions we heard today are, 'what do I do if I find somebody in my shop? What are my obligations, requirements and what can't I do?'

Related stories:

• See something suspicious near the Border? RCMP Sergeant encourages residents to speak up
• RCMP Sergeant addresses safety concerns amid illegal border crossings in southern Manitoba
• "Everybody has to take a stance on border safety," says RCMP Sgt.

An official from Leslie's Ottawa office also provided an overview of Canada's various immigration processes and the Safe Third Country Agreement and how it plays into this subject.

Not only was the event an opportunity to connect a federal issue at the local level, noted Leslie, it was also a chance to bust some of the myths that might be circulating. 

"In talking to folks afterwards, everybody felt that it was at least a good opportunity to learn a little bit more information, found it to be educational and, I think, provide a little bit of background that, frankly, is very hard to search online and understand," said Leslie.

It was a full house at the Altona Senior Centre for the townhall and wrapped up with a standing ovation for law enforcement officials, recognizing the hard work they are do every day. 

ople walking across the border, of just what to do."

1933 – 2025

Glen Allen Mumey passed away on March 8, 2025, in Green Valley, Arizona. He was born in Hallock, Minnesota, on Dec. 5, 1933, to Leo and Olga Mumey.

He is survived by his wife, Lois, and two sons, Brendan (Susan Gallagher) and their children, Leo and Keely; and Sol (Carol Claiborne) and their children, Abigail and Julia.

Glen is also survived by his sister Marlene (Jack Martin) and sister-in-law Audrey Sabier, and his many nieces and nephews.

Glen had a long career as a business professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Glen and Lois also operated a successful family farm for many years outside of Wetaskiwin, Alta.

Glen retired to the Pincher Creek area in 1998 and he loved hiking and skiing in this beautiful area. If you’re out hiking in the Crowsnest Pass or Green Valley, Ariz., areas and stop for a rest at a bench, it may be one of many constructed by Glen.

He spent many hours on his tractor and always had a project going on our acreage. He also enjoyed playing social bridge with family and friends and was a member of the Pincher Creek and Lethbridge duplicate bridge clubs.

His family was his greatest joy. He will be missed.

The obituary for Glen Mumey appeared in the Mar. 19, 2025, issue of Shootin’ the Breeze. Condolences are extended to family and friends.

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In this discussion with Jason James, a few weeks before Mark Carney became Canada’s prime minister—securing nearly 90 percent of votes in the opaque Liberal Party contest to replace Justin Trudeau—I explained why I cautiously explored Carney’s role in international multilaterals and investments where Beijing’s influence is evident, such as the World Economic Forum. Our conversation also touches on my assessment of the growing collision course between Washington and Beijing, which may partly explain President Donald Trump’s wrecking-ball approach to international alliances, supply chains, and diplomacy.

“This is, tragically, like 1938,” I said. “It seems like that’s where we are. And if you understand that, whatever your interest is in the world—if you have some time for geopolitics—I’m not saying the confusion goes away, but the fog starts to lift.”

RCMP said Richard Craig Barrett, 31, of Bible Hill was charged Monday in connection with the 2023 death of Maggie Cameron.

A developer’s plan to build a six-plex on Hanover Street has been denied by Steinbach City Council. The unanimous decision came after a public hearing Tuesday evening, where several neighbouring residents spoke out against the proposal to rezone the lot at 189 Hanover Street from Residential Low Density to Residential Medium Density. The zoning change would be necessary for anything more than a single-family unit on that property. 

Brandon and Taylor Thiessen, the applicants, presented their plan at the hearing, which included constructing a two-storey six-plex on the large lot. They also detailed additional parking spaces they had planned for the development. However, residents raised concerns that the multi-unit building would be out of place in the neighbourhood, which is primarily composed of single-family homes. Increased traffic on what they described as an already busy street was another major issue cited by those in opposition. 

Councillor Jac Siemens made a motion to deny the application, which was seconded by Deputy Mayor Michael Zwaagstra. Siemens acknowledged the benefits of multifamily housing near downtown but stated that the proposal was premature for this particular block. 

“I like the proposal from the standpoint that it is multifamily. It’s close to downtown. That is what the intention of Council, to build more multifamily closer to the downtown, walkability for everything downtown,” said Siemens. “The issue I have with it is it’s all single-family homes in the area.” 

Siemens noted that while the area is likely to transition toward multifamily housing over the next 10 to 20 years, the proposed six-plex was too large for the current neighbourhood makeup. He suggested that a duplex or even a four-plex would have been a better fit. 

“Makes all the difference. I think a duplex would have fit,” he said. “Even a four-plex might fit better. But a six-plex is just too large.” 

The unanimous vote means the property will remain zoned for low-density residential use. Council’s decision aligns with concerns raised by residents and maintains the existing character of the neighbourhood. 

Niverville Middle School (NMS) is looking to welcome a play structure to its grounds, but needs some help fundraising.

Right now, the school yard has a swing set, basketball court, soccer field and baseball diamond, but nothing Craig Cumming — NMS' principal — feels is geared toward current student needs.

This largely has to do with the school being originally meant for older students, he says.

"Really the playground was used for sports and things like that, but not really recess time until we had to expand a bit and include grade five and six students," he explains.

Eventually, Niverville High School was built, and the older student moved, making NMS a dedicated middle school.

"Then it became very apparent that we needed to enhance our outdoor options," Cumming says.

He notes the school's Parent Advisory Council (PAC) has been hard at work over the last several years trying to make the play structure a reality.

Jenni Morin is the chair of the council, and says they wanted to bring kids at the school something fun and engaging for recess, and something to contribute to their memory building.

"I know my kids love to play on play structures, even in free time when we're not at school, they're going to go somewhere where they can run and jump and play, and swing and stuff. Having something here for them would be really great," she says.

Morin says lots of effort has been put into the project, and a good amount of progress has already been made.

"When we started, there was a lot to think about. Who is going to build? Who should we talk to first? So we found a company called Playgrounds R Us, and they've been really good. So we came up with a bit of a budget based on what's available," she explains.

That budget worked out to be $110,000.

"We knew what we wanted. The kids really love to play grounders — it's a really popular game with the grades fives and sixes at least — so we wanted to find a play structure that could allow them to play that game really easily, but also be accessible for all the students," Morin says.

"When we saw this structure, it just kind of met everything. All our needs and wants."

The PAC has already held several fundraisers in support of the playground, adding up to about $20,000. Now they have composed a letter to the community calling for donations, including from local businesses.

Those who donate will have their name put on a donor wall on the playground. Tax receipts are also available.

"We're at the point where we can actually see what we're working towards now, so this is like the part where I'm even more excited," Morin says. "Now it kind of feels real."

She says the council has also been looking into grants as another way to get funding.

A spot has also been proposed for the play structure by the existing basketball court and swing set on the property. Right now there is empty space there with lots of room for building.

There's been quite a buzz at NMS in anticipation of the addition, Cumming says.

"About a month ago, we put up posters in the hallway, as well as a little thermometer to show the (donations), and it drew instant excitement," he says. "Not only from the kids, but from the parents who were coming into our school in the evening for sports or concerts or things like that."

"Of course, the kids think it's happening next week, but it isn't," he says. "There's still a bit of a way to go, but now they're asking questions."

While some of the students may leave the school by the time the structure comes, he takes comfort in the idea that the playground will still be a place they can come to enjoy their youth.

"Students in grades seven and eight are older to us, but they're still kids," Cumming says. "It's something that students of many ages can be a part of. It doesn't have to be during school time, but on evenings and weekends."

Overall, it will be a huge benefit to the community, he says, adding "it's something people can take pride in."

The principal says that Niverville and area is very supportive, and that with a dedicated PAC team, is confident this project will be seen through.

"That's the biggest piece of this, is the community pulling together. The community of parents, but also community members in general, and that has always been something that we can really hang our hats on," he says.

He hopes students in the community see this support rally around them, and take it into their futures.

"Being in education, we want our kids to be learning (to be) supportive of one another, and showing intense pride in where you live, and where you're going to school, and where you work. I think that's all connected in this project," Cumming says.

Those wanting to donate to the project, or learn more, are invited to get in touch with the NMS PAC via email at [email protected].

Below is a gallery of photos showing the concept and features of NMS' future play structure:

Manitoba RCMP Headquarters in Winnipeg, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski)

A 44-year-old man from Fraserwood was killed in a single-vehicle crash early Tuesday morning in the RM of St. Andrews.

Selkirk RCMP responded to the collision on Highway 8 and Road 85 North at around 1 a.m. Officers found a vehicle in the west ditch with the driver as the lone occupant.

Emergency crews, including the Clandeboye Fire Department and EMS, attended the scene, but the man was pronounced dead shortly after. Police confirmed he was not wearing a seatbelt.

Manitoba RCMP continue to investigate.