Many of us are familiar with the alphabet song and its rhythm. However, some kindergarteners at a Winnipeg elementary school are learning their letters though a new version of the classic ABC song.

More newcomers are choosing immigration consultants over lawyers, a new survey commissioned by CBC News has found. Immigration experts are calling for clients to be better protected as they say the regulator for consultants has fallen short.

JERUSALEM (AP) — When a renowned Israeli TV journalist lost his ability to speak clearly because of ALS, he thought his career might be over. But now, using artificial-intelligence software that can recreate his widely recognized gravelly voice, Moshe Nussbaum — known to generations of viewers simply as “Nussi” — is making a comeback.

Nussbaum, 71, was diagnosed two years ago with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease that attacks nerve cells that control muscles throughout the body.

At the time, he vowed to viewers of Israel’s Channel 12 News to continue working as long as he was physically able. But, gradually, it became more and more difficult.

It was a devastating blow to the career of a leading, no-nonsense reporter who for more than 40 years had covered many of Israel’s most important stories from the field. He had appeared from the scenes of suicide bombing attacks and the front lines of wars in Gaza and Lebanon, and had covered scandals in Israel’s parliament and high-profile court cases.

After Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war in Gaza, Nussbaum was unable to report from the field. It was the first war of his career he had ever sat out, he noted in a recent interview with colleagues at Channel 12, the country’s largest station.

Even though he was having trouble moving and speaking, he launched a segment interviewing injured soldiers from Israeli hospitals. His questions were slow and halting, but he kept it up for the first half of the war. Then, as it became increasingly difficult to speak, and to be understood, his interviews became less frequent.

On Monday, Channel 12 made the surprising announcement that it would bring Nussbaum back to the air in the coming weeks as a commentator— with the help of AI.

“It took me a few moments to absorb it and to understand that it is me speaking now,” Nussbaum told The Associated Press via text message. “Slowly, slowly, I’m understanding the incredible meaning of this device for everyone with disabilities, including me.”

Nussbaum will report his stories, and then write them up, using an AI program that has been trained to speak using Nussbaum’s voice. He will be filmed as if he were presenting, and his lips will be “technologically adjusted” to match the words.

People with speech disorders have used traditional text-to-speech technology for years, but those voices sound robotic and flat, and lack emotion. In contrast, AI technology is trained using recordings of a person’s voice — there are thousands of hours of Nussbaum speaking thanks to his lengthy career in TV and radio — and it can mimic their intonations and phrasing.

Thrilled by the possibilities the technology affords him, Nussbaum said he is also worried about the ease with which the technology could be used by bad actors to spread fake news and falsehoods.

In its current form, the technology will not work for live broadcasts, so Nussbaum won’t be able to go out into the field, which is his favorite part of the job, he said. Instead, he will focus on commentary and analysis about crime and national security, his areas of expertise for decades.

Ahead of the broadcasts, Channel 12 released a preview showing snippets of Nussbaum speaking naturally — garbled and difficult to understand — followed by the new “Nussi AI.” The new version sounds strikingly like the old Nussbaum, speaking quickly and emphatically. Nussbaum was filmed as if he was presenting the report, sitting straight with his trademark bushy eyebrows moving up and down for emphasis.

“Honestly, this is my first time sitting here in the studio after more than a year,” AI Nussbaum says in the preview. “It feels a bit strange, and mostly, it tugs my heart.”

AI-powered voice cloning has grown exponentially in recent years. Experts have warned that the technology can amplify phone scams, disrupt democratic elections and violate the dignity of people — living or dead — who never consented to having their voice recreated to say things they never said.

It’s been used to produce deepfake robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden. In the U.S., authorities recently charged a high school athletic director with using AI to generate a fake audio clip of the school’s principal making racist remarks.

But the technology also has tremendous potential to help people who have lost their ability to speak clearly. A U.S. congresswoman who cannot speak due to complications from Parkinson’s and a related palsy has used a similar AI program to give a speech on the House floor, and the technology has also helped a young woman who lost her voice due to a tumor.

Channel 12 declined to say which AI program it was using.

Nussbaum had worried that ALS would rob him of the career he loved. In an interview with Channel 12, he recounted telling his managers “don’t feel like you’re pitying me, doing me a favor,” he said. “The day you come to the conclusion that this is it — tell me. I’ll know how to accept it without a problem.”

He calls his new AI-enabled persona a “magic trick” that enabled his comeback, and believes it will raise awareness in Israel of ways that people with disabilities — especially progressive disabilities — can continue to work.

“The fact that Channel 12 and my news managers are allowing me to reinvent myself anew, that is one of the most important medicines I can get in my fight with this disease,” he said.

Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Cambodian police said Wednesday they apprehended a Thai man suspected of gunning down a former opposition politician from Cambodia in a popular Bangkok tourist area.

Lim Kimya, an ex-lawmaker from the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, was shot dead near a temple close to Khaosan Road on Tuesday evening. He had reportedly just arrived at the scene with his wife by bus from Cambodia, said the New York-based Human Rights Watch.

In a statement released to the media, the Cambodian National Police said the suspected gunman, identified as Ekkalak Pheanoi, fled to Cambodia shortly after he shot the victim and was detained Wednesday in Battambong province, which shares borders with Thailand. It said he will be deported back to Thailand at the request of Thai police.

The Royal Thai Police could not immediately be reached for comments.

Siam Boonsom, chief of Bangkok police, told reporters earlier Wednesday that the initial investigation led them to believe the gunman was hired to carry out the shooting. Siam declined to provide further details, citing an ongoing investigation.

Siam said the suspect had a criminal record related to financial matters, but did not comment on Thai media reports that the shooter may have been a former Thai marine.

Security camera footage of the incident circulated in Thai media showed the suspected gunman arriving at the scene on a motorbike. Three gunshots were heard before the man walked away from the victim as he collapsed to the ground. The suspect, who did not cover his face, then rode away on the motorbike.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party said in a statement it was “deeply shocked and appalled by the brutal and inhumane assassination” and urged Thai authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party had been expected to present a strong challenge to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party of ex-Prime Minister Hun Sen in the 2018 general election. But as part of a sweeping crackdown on opposition before the poll, the high court dissolved the party, and the ruling party subsequently won every seat in the National Assembly.

Recent posts on Lim Kimya’s Facebook page were critical of the government, including how it had spent state money unnecessarily on events that did not benefit the Cambodian people.

Under Hun Sen, who held power for almost four decades, Cambodia was widely criticized for human rights abuses that included the suppression of freedom of speech and association. He was succeeded in August 2023 by his American-educated son, Hun Manet, but there have been few signs of political liberalization.

Phil Robertson, director of the Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates, said the shooting “has all the hallmarks of a political assassination, and looks to be a significant escalation in the use of transnational repression in Bangkok” to intimidate opposition of the ruling government.

Cambodia’s government has long been accused of using the judicial system to persecute critics and political opponents. The government insists it promotes the rule of law under an electoral democracy, but political parties seen as mounting strong challenges to the ruling party have been dissolved by the courts or had their leaders jailed or harassed.

Lim Kimya’s shooting came on the same day that Hun Sen, who is now the head of Cambodia’s Senate, called for the government to pass a law that would label certain dissident actions as terrorism.

Hun Sen, sitting alongside his son to mark the 46th anniversary of the ousting of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime that ruled in Cambodia in the late 1970s, called for a new law to define people who want to overthrow Hun Manet’s government as “terrorists.”

___

Associated Press reporter Sopheng Cheang contributed from Phnom Penh.

Jintamas Saksornchai And Sopheng Cheang, The Associated Press

After a remarkable year for women in sport, moms and mom-to-be athletes in Canada can head into the new year confident that pregnancy will no longer lead to financial drawbacks. 

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A Miramichi widow confronted the man accused of causing her husband’s death in a summer 2023 crash as he once again sought to adjourn his plea on a criminal charge Tuesday.

Cameron McFee, 66, of Walter Close in Fredericton, was back in Fredericton provincial court Tuesday, scheduled to elect mode of trial and enter a plea to an indictable charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Daniel Frenette.

The allegation stems from a fatal crash in Douglas on July 12, 2023, in which Frenette was killed when the dump truck McFee was driving crashed into his vehicle.

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A group of collegiate basketball players in B.C. say they will not play a pair of games against another team in their division this weekend due to alleged verbal and physical mistreatment of a transgender teammate that they say has not been addressed.

Drivers are reporting icy road conditions on the Trans-Canada Highway this morning. 

East of Swift Current, near the town of Webb, motorists are reporting that a semi-truck and trailer have even hit the ditch. 

To stay up to date on road conditions, people can utilize the Highway Hotline. The live map reports on any delays, detours, or dangers on Saskatchewan highways. 

A 36-year-old man last seen in Winnipeg in December has been found dead.

A jury in Perth, Ont., is set to begin deliberating the fate of two men accused of killing Hell's Angels recruit Greg Slewidge in nearby Beckwith Township more than four years ago.

Four people appeared in court in Corner Brook this week to face charges stemming from a dramatic series of events involving a truck stolen from Paradise.

The Constabulary notified RCMP on Sunday about a pickup reported stolen from Paradise that was heading west on the Trans Canada. A short time later RNC advised that the vehicle had turned around and was heading back to the capital city.

The following afternoon Gander RCMP received a complaint of a gas and dash at a station in George’s Point in Gander Bay involving the same stolen truck. It was located later that evening driving west on the Trans Canada near Springdale where RCMP tried unsuccessfully to pull it over.

Deer Lake RCMP made another attempt to stop the truck near Howley but it continued west. Around 8:30 Monday evening it was again located—this time heading back east near Corner Brook. A spike belt had the desired effect, and the truck came to a stop on a dirt road just off the Trans Canada in Deer Lake.

Four people were arrested: 51-year-old William Whalen, 44-year-old Stephanie Cole, 24-year-old Dylan Whalen and 22-year-old Enna McGrath—all from the Avalon Peninsula. Three were released to appear in court at later dates, while Dylan Whalen was held in custody pending a court appearance on January 10.

Full list of charges:

William Whalen is charged with possession of stolen property, two counts of flight from police and two counts of dangerous operation.

Stephanie Cole is charged with possession of stolen property and flight from police.

Dylan Whalen is charged with possession of stolen property, two counts of flight from police, two counts of dangerous operation, prohibited operation and theft of gas under $5000.00.

Enna McGrath is charged with possession of stolen property and flight from police. In addition, a warrant for her arrest, stemming from a charge laid by the RNC of taking a motor vehicle without consent, was executed.

The union representing Nunavik school teachers is planning a strike that will affect four school days starting Jan. 16, as negotiations for a new contract have dragged on for more than two years.

After more than 30 bargaining sessions since October 2022, negotiations are at an impasse, said Larry Imbeault, president of the Association of Employees in Northern Quebec.

The union is trying to negotiate two separate contracts for staff at Kativik Ilisarniliriniq — one for the teachers and another for support staff such as education technicians, he said.

Association of Employees of Northern Quebec president Larry Imbeault speaks at a rally in front of Kativik Ilisarniliriniq’s head office in April 2021. (File Photo)

Imbeault said talks for a new teachers’ contract have seen “no improvement at all,” which prompted the union to call for a strike.

On Dec. 18, a majority of both the teachers and support staff voted to give the union a strike mandate. In an interview Monday, Imbeault confirmed the strike, which will only involve the teachers, will run from Jan 16 at 11 a.m. until Jan 21 at 11 a.m.

On Dec. 20, the union called for conciliation in which Quebec’s labour ministry would appoint a neutral negotiator to help bring the two sides closer to an agreement.

“Quebec’s treasury secretary must realize that there needs to be more investments in Nunavik’s education, for that education to be at the same level as in the south,” Imbeault said in an interview, speaking in French.

“If they want to attract people to work in the North, there needs to be more money.”

For teachers, Imbeault points to two priorities in negotiations —improving staff bonuses, which have not been updated since 2001; and ensuring sufficient water is available in staff housing.

“When the teacher has not had water for three or four days, you have not washed yourself, to then go teach — it’s not easy,” he said.

He wants to ensure improvements are made to alleviate water supply issues for teachers’ housing.

In negotiations for a new support staff contract, Imbeault said priorities include improvements to bonuses and gaining the ability to work from home, which they currently can’t do.

“These are major issues that the employer is totally closed to,” he said, adding those negotiations have also included about 30 bargaining sessions.

“We did not want to [strike],” he said. “But we do not have a choice, it is our ultimate means to have our demands advance.”

Imbeault said there will be picket lines set up in front of schools in Nunavik.

Nunatsiaq News contacted both Kativik Ilisarniliriniq declined to comment on the negotiations or about how a strike would affect its schools. Quebec’s Treasury Secretary had not responded to a request for an interview about the talks.

Imagine going on a road trip and passing several seemingly identical McDonald’s restaurants. Despite their uniform appearance, their ownership may vary widely: One might be run by a family, another by an individual entrepreneur, and others owned directly by the corporation.

This is possible because McDonald’s, like many other well-known fast-food restaurant chains, operates a under a franchise business model. Franchising allows companies to grow by licensing their brand to independent operators, who then manage day-to-day operations.

Ownership structure can significantly affect performance, profitability and other business outcomes, research shows. As professors who study family businesses, we were curious whether it could also be linked to health and safety outcomes.

We hypothesized that family-operated franchises would receive fewer health code violations compared with nonfamily-operated restaurants. Our reasoning was grounded in previous research showing that family-owned businesses often prioritize maintaining a strong reputation over short-term profits.

To test this, we analyzed health code violations at 1,492 quick-service restaurants across the southeastern U.S., categorizing them across three ownership types: family-owned, lone-founder and corporate-owned. We did this by analyzing public franchise disclosure documents and identifying whether one person, two or more members of the same family, or a parent company was listed as the owner.

The results surprised us. We found that family-owned franchises received more health code violations than both lone-founder and corporate-owned outlets. Family-owned franchises also had more frequent “critical” health code violations, like food contamination contributing to food poisoning.

In contrast, we found that corporate-owned franchises generally performed better in terms of health and safety.

Why would family-run businesses lag behind? We suspect it’s because company representatives visit corporate-run franchises more often, which ensures better compliance with health and safety standards. Lone-founder franchises also showed strong health code performance, possibly due to owners’ high level of personal investment and control.

While family-run franchises often excel at long-term goals – like preserving a family legacy and fostering community ties – our findings suggest they may struggle with day-to-day operational compliance pertaining to health and safety.

Why it matters

This study adds to the research on how different types of franchise ownership can influence performance outcomes – both financial and nonfinancial. It also offers several insights into why family-owned franchises might struggle with operational outcomes.

First, family-owned franchises may lack the frequent oversight that corporate-owned outlets receive, reducing their accountability for meeting health and safety standards.

Second, family-owned franchises may prioritize maintaining family harmony over strictly following rules set down by the head office. This can result in poor performance.

Finally, conflicts can arise when franchisees and franchisors have diverging goals. Research shows that family businesses often emphasize noneconomic goals like long-term reputation maintenance and less external monitoring, and thus generally have more conservative investment preferences. These tendencies run counter to the economic goals of most franchising parent companies.

Ultimately, our findings suggest that family franchisees may need to consider their effectiveness in managing a franchise outlet and for corporate franchisors to be mindful of the ownership form of their franchisees.

What still isn’t known

While our findings provide valuable insights, they are not without limitations. Our study focused on restaurants in a single region of the U.S., so it’s unclear how broadly the results can be applied. Future research should investigate whether these trends hold in other regions, countries and industries, such as retail franchises. Additionally, understanding how geographic distance between franchises and corporate offices influences monitoring could provide further insights.

The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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A Fredericton woman for whom an arrest warrant had been issued last month after she didn’t show up in court to answer to fraud and forgery charges was back on the docket Tuesday.

Amanda Jayne Martin, 41, of Biggs Street, was supposed to attend in Fredericton provincial court Dec. 30 to answer to charges alleging she knowingly used a forged cheque belonging to Amal Bensaleh and defrauded the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) of less than $5,000, both in Fredericton on Dec. 31, 2023.

However, when she didn’t turn up, the presiding judge issued a warrant for her arrest.

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On April 8, 1942 the M/S Batory, with approx. 55 officers and 700 airmen, sailed from Gourock,  Scotland to establish No.34 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia (Canada),  one of the four OTUs established in Canada during World War II. Sailing into Halifax Harbour on  the evening of April 16th one airman, recalling their arrival in this new strange land, remarked: “We saw, for the first time since September, 1939, a city with lights on and no black out. We berthed at dockside,  disembarked to board a train, had our first Canadian meal, and what a meal after RAF fare! I will always  remember the canned peaches, a luxury beyond all dreams.” 

The Unit, after a long and bumpy train ride down the south shore, arrived the following morning at  Arcadia Crossing around 0800 hours. They then marched the remaining 4-5kms. into the camp  which was still incomplete – no plumbing, no heat, no water and muddy roads. So for the next  three or four weeks was to be a time of roll calls, fatigues and route marches, as they had no aircrafts  and nothing constructive to do. 

It was then decided to move the Unit to Pennfield Ridge on temporary bases – a decision which was  to forever impact the history of Charlotte County. The movement of the Unit commenced on May  18th and concluded May 27th– train from Yarmouth to Digby, ferry SS Princess Helene across the  Bay of Fundy to Saint John and then another train to Pennfield Ridge. 

The move from Yarmouth to Pennfield Ridge was not without its own trial & tribulations as No.2  Air Navigation School, with strength of over 1,300 airmen, was still in full operation with its last  course graduating May 25th and the station officially closing May 30th. Also, the Royal Canadian Air  Force was attempting to establish No.2 Operational Training Unit designed to operate Mitchell  aircraft in an operational setting. This Unit never officially came to fruition (disbanded July 20, 1942) and the several hundred airmen posted here to establish the Unit were then posted to Bagottville &  St John’s, Quebec and elsewhere. 

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan trainees and aircraft, the Lockheed-Vega Venutra, began  arriving on June 1st. Course No. 1 commenced on June 8th with 62 trainees and No.34 OTU began  to do the job it was organized for. However, it was determined the aerodrome was not large enough  to accommodate an Operational Training Unit so in late August No.34 Operational Training Unit  Detachment, Yarmouth, NS was created – trainees would commence their respective courses at “the  Ridge”, then detached to Yarmouth for their armament training portion of the course and then back  to Pennfield Ridge for graduation. Upon graduation they were mostly posted to No.1 “Y” Depot,  Halifax await transportation overseas to a battle squadron. 

From August 1942 until April 1943 Pennfield Ridge underwent rapid expansion – 40 structures to  69 which included a large Hanger with douglas fir beams (the largest in the Maritime provinces at  the time), a new Drill Hall, three large H-Huts on the south side of the highway, etc. 

On August 27, 1942, Pennfield Ridge became the permanent home of No.34 Operational Training  Unit was to remain a Royal Air Force (RAF) Unit until May 19, 1944.

G. Christian Larsen

G. Christian Larsen currently serves as President of Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society.  He has been actively involved in researching the genealogical & military history of Pennfield Parish for nearly four decades.  From 2009 until 2017 he hosted the annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Services.  Recognized at the provincial & federal levels for his work with Veterans having been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012); Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (2023) and Minister of Veteran Affairs Commendation (2024).

What will history remember as Justin Trudeau’s accomplishments and failures? And was he able to change with the world around him?

In 2024, Taproot reported on several stories that continued to evolve after we published them. Here are some updates.

Hydrogen hiccups see backers stand firm

The original story: While Taproot regularly reports on hydrogen's potential due to its prominence in the region, one 2024 story that stood out was the growing number of people questioning the fuel's viability for consumer vehicles. Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, 120 scientists shared their distrust of the hydrogen fuel-cell Toyota Mirai, to be used at the games, with the International Olympic Council. Meanwhile, Californians who leased the same model from Toyota launched a class-action lawsuit. Still, stakeholders in the hydrogen ecosystem like Edmonton Global celebrated the Edmonton International Airport's acquisition of 100 Toyota Mirais in June. Taproot also covered the international congregation at the annual Canadian Hydrogen Convention, the optimism for hydrogen in trucking along key trade corridors, Canada's first hydrogen quality testing centre at the Edmonton Research Park, and how industrial businesses that use hydrogen are flocking to the region.

Then what? As industry interest in hydrogen grew, NAIT responded with a new course. Its Introduction to Hydrogen Vehicles is a micro-credential course that includes the theory behind hydrogen-powered vehicles, safety, regulations, and more. The curriculum, and NAIT's larger goal to "drive net zero," are supported by partners that include the Alberta Motor Transport Association, the City of Edmonton, and Diesel Tech Industries. Speaking of the AMTA, the organization hosted the debut of Verne's cryo-compressed hydrogen technology for heavy-duty vehicles at an expo in September. In June, the 5,000 Hydrogen Vehicle Challenge also shared a post that compiles more news on NAIT's hydrogen training, Velocity Truck Centres's opening of Alberta's first hydrogen and natural gas refuelling bay, and more.

What's next? There are two hints that more hydrogen news is coming this year, plus one sure thing. NAIT will eventually add another new hydrogen course, though there are still few details to share. The other unknown is what will change with the Edmonton Region Hydrogen HUB, which its founding chair and Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw teased will "take on a new form this year." Hnatiw declined to comment further when contacted by Taproot. The Canadian Hydrogen Convention returns from April 22 to 24 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre and industrial sites. The convention typically includes announcements and displays of new tech.

Teatro Live! and other arts organizations bridge funding gaps

The original story: In 2024, Teatro Live! launched a club to repay its pandemic loan, which it called The 400 Club. The idea was that if 400 people donated $100 each, Teatro Live! could raise $40,000 of the $60,000 it owed for a Canadian Emergency Business Account loan. In exchange, donors would receive a tax receipt and be invited to a thank-you party. The long-running theatre company started by Stewart Lemoine was not the only arts organization that called for public support in 2024. Metro Cinema raised money in the spring to replace its sound system and just wrapped another fundraiser for its endowment fund at the Edmonton Community Foundation. Also, the Where Edmonton Community Artists Network/Harcourt House Artist Run Centre is at $105,831 of the $150,000 it is hoping to raise towards the $3.5 million purchase of its titular home.

Then what? Teatro Live's 400 Club campaign eventually totalled $46,006.76, the company shared in June. Arts funding remained in the news in 2024, too. In a later story, Taproot learned that the Edmonton Arts Council changed its funding strategy for arts organizations due to its own stagnant budget. While the organization does not believe this will cause significant challenges, new multi-year funding and the renewal of existing multi-year agreements is unavailable until 2026. The new strategy has increased its focus on safety and inclusivity, as well, and applicants who receive poor peer assessments may see their funding decreased or restructured. The EAC also found a permanent new executive director, Renée Williams, in 2024.

What's next? Teatro Live! is in the midst of its 2024 to 2025 season. There are three shows to go: Lemoine's The Noon Witch from Feb. 21 to March 9; On the Banks of the Nut, also by Lemoine, which runs May 30 to June 15; and Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, which runs from July 11 to 27. Each show has a preview the day before its official run. All shows take place at Varscona Theatre.

Tech investor grows but faces challenges

The original story: In 2024, OligomicsTx was the first of three Edmonton-based companies to win a StartUp TNT summit finale, which it did back in March. The maker of RNA-targeting therapies for rare neuromuscular disorders earned at least $155,000 in investment at the Life Sciences Summit, held at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute. In June, SketchDeck.ai, which uses AI and machine learning to automate estimates in the construction industry, won at least $150,000 at Summit IX. Finally, The Fort Distillery also received at least $150,000 in investment at Summit X.

Then what? Startup TNT experienced both achievements and challenges throughout 2024. In February, the non-profit was recognized as the most active pre-seed and seed stage investor in Western Canada by the Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association. In April, Startup TNT launched in British Columbia, but then paused its Manitoba operations in July. In October, Startup TNT received a SABEX Award for community impact from the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce. Later that month, it shared a code of conduct that aims to protect its community members from harassment and discrimination. Its biggest update came in a December post, which said the organization needs to streamline its operations and layoff staff. The changes Startup TNT shared it will undertake include creating a greater emphasis on the independence of its regional chapters, restructuring some of its summits, and hiring a new executive director.

What's next? The search for a new executive director for Startup TNT is underway. Recruitment is being led by Artemis Canada. The post calls for someone based in Western Canada (and "ideally Edmonton") with operational expertise, financial leadership, and more. As far as summit events go, the December post said four summits will take place at some point this spring: Edmonton, Calgary, British Columbia, and Agri-Food. The Cleantech, Life Sciences, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba events "are being restructured for future Summits, some as early as Fall 2025," the post said.

From a decision to phase out open-net salmon farms to buying a controversial oil pipeline, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left his mark on B.C. 

"I've got a very big opportunity." Meet one of the people behind the new Ricky's All Day Grill, opening in a downtown Yellowknife mall at the start of February.

The NWT has scored a climate knockout: doctors say it's the first Canadian jurisdiction to stop using an anesthetic gas many times more damaging than CO2.

The provincial government is warning the public of a text message scam circulating involving the Motor Registration Division.

The text message orders people to fork up a large amount of money to avoid having their driver’s licence suspended.

The province says it does not text information on driver’s licenses or money owed.

Anyone who did receive a fraudulent text message is asked to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or the police.

The GNWT lost its appeal over a court ruling that it reconsider a plan to manage the Bluenose West herd in the Sahtu – a plan a minister previously rejected.

Four individuals from the Avalon peninsula, 51-year-old William Whalen, 44-year-old Stephanie Cole, 24-year-old Dylan Whalen and 22-year-old Enna McGrath, were arrested by Deer Lake RCMP on Monday, travelling in a vehicle stolen from Paradise.

On Sunday afternoon the RCMP received a report of the stolen vehicle from the RNC, indicating that the vehicle was travelling west on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Shortly after that report, the RNC advised that the vehicle had turned around and was heading back into the City.

The next day, RCMP in Gander received a report of theft of fuel from a gas station in George’s Point involving the stolen vehicle.

Police located the vehicle on the TCH near Springdale. When police attempted to stop the truck it failed to stop and continued west on the TCH at a high speed and in a dangerous manner. In the interest of public safety, officers did not pursue the vehicle.

A short time later, Deer Lake RCMP observed the stolen vehicle travelling west on the TCH near Howley. Police attempted to stop the vehicle which continued to travel at a high rate of speed and in a dangerous manner. Once again officers did not pursue the vehicle.

The vehicle was later located by the RNC in Corner Brook. Shortly before 8:30 p.m., the vehicle was observed by RCMP heading east on the TCH, east of Corner Brook.

At approximately 8:40 p.m., a spike belt was successfully deployed by RCMP on the TCH in Deer Lake and the vehicle came to a stop on a dirt road just off the TCH in Deer Lake.

The four occupants were arrested moments later without further incident.

William Whalen is charged with possession of stolen property, two counts of flight from police and two counts of dangerous operation. Stephanie Cole is charged with possession of stolen property and flight from police.
Dylan Whalen is charged with possession of stolen property, two counts of flight from police, two counts of dangerous operation, prohibited operation and theft of gas under $5000.00. Enna McGrath is charged with possession of stolen property and flight from police.

In addition, a warrant for her arrest, stemming from a charge laid by the RNC of taking a motor vehicle without consent, was executed.

William Whalen, Stephanie Cole and Enna McGrath were released by the court on a number of conditions and are each set to appear in court at later dates. Dylan Whalen was remanded into custody and will appear in court on January 10.

The investigation is continuing.

A program in the Northwest Territories that pairs fluent speakers of Indigenous languages with learners is seeking new applicants.