In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Oct. 19 …
What we are watching in Canada …
Mounties are mourning one of their own after an RCMP officer was fatally stabbed at a homeless campsite in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald says the death Tuesday of Const. Shaelyn Yang, 31, will be felt by her colleagues who say goodbye to their loved ones each day when they go to work to serve their communities.
Police say Yang was partnered with a city employee when an altercation broke out at a campsite and she was fatally stabbed.
A suspect, who was shot and seriously injured, was being treated in hospital.
Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley says the city worker who was with Yang was “deeply shaken” and the city is offering support to affected staff.
Homicide detectives are investigating the death, while the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., which looks into any incidents of serious harm or death involving police, is also reviewing what happened.
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Also this …
A coroner’s inquest into the death of an Indigenous teen whose body was found near a group home in Hamilton, Ontario, will begin hearing closing arguments today.
The inquest examining the death of Devon Freeman has heard the 16-year-old was reported missing from the Lynwood Charlton Centre group home in the Flamborough area of Hamilton in the fall of 2017 and found dead in April of 2018.
The inquest, which began three weeks ago, has explored systemic issues that played a role in the teen’s death, including public policy and legal issues related to Indigenous children and youth in the child-welfare system.
Jurors have heard testimony from many people who were involved in Freeman’s life, including child welfare experts, a children’s aid worker, the teen’s psychiatrist and his grandmother.
Closing arguments are expected to conclude on Thursday.
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And this …
Statistics Canada is expected to release September inflation numbers this morning.
In August, Canada’s annual inflation rate slowed to 7.0 per cent, largely driven by the price of gasoline falling, but the cost of groceries continued to climb.
RBC expects the annual inflation rate to come in at 6.7 per cent for September.
At the same time, the bank says core measures of inflation, which are less volatile, are unlikely to decline because of strong demand for services in the economy.
The latest CPI report will come one week ahead of the Bank of Canada’s next interest rate decision.
What we are watching in the U.S. …
U.S. President Joe Biden will announce the release of 15 million barrels of oil from America’s strategic reserve today as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by OPEC+ nations.
That’s according to senior administration officials who spoke Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to outline Biden’s plans. He will also say more oil sales are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
The strategic reserve now contains roughly 400 million barrels of oil, its lowest level since 1984.
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What we are watching in the rest of the world …
The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote today on a resolution that would demand an immediate end to violence and criminal activity in Haiti.
According to the final draft obtained by The Associated Press, the resolution would impose sanctions on influential gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier and other Haitian individuals and groups who engage in actions that threaten the peace, security or stability of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.
Daily life in Haiti began to spin out of control last month just hours after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said fuel subsidies would be eliminated.
The impoverished nation has been gripped by inflation, violence and protests, with political instability simmering since the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise.
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On this day in 1957 …
Maurice (Rocket) Richard of the Montreal Canadiens became the first NHL player to score 500 career goals. He did it in 863 games. Richard retired in 1960 with a then-record 544 goals. He died of abdominal cancer on May 27, 2000.
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In entertainment …
A man with a distinctive back tattoo is suing Cardi B, with his lawyers saying he was humiliated after the rapper allegedly misused his likeness for her sexually suggestive mixtape cover art.
Kevin Michael Brophy has filed a $5 million copyright-infringement lawsuit against the Grammy-winning musician in federal court in Southern California.
Brophy alleges that he did not consent to such a use of his likeness. Cardi B was in court and is fighting the allegations.
Cardi B, who is expected to testify during the trial, is fighting the allegations.
She has said an artist used only a “small portion” of the tattoos without her knowledge.
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Did you see this?
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she is apologizing for what she calls “ill-informed comments on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
In April, Smith said the only answer for Ukraine is neutrality, adding that she understands why Russia would have a concern with a western-aligned Ukraine armed with nuclear weapons on its doorstep.
Ukraine surrendered its nuclear weapons in the 1990s.
In February, she wrote that two regions of Ukraine feel more affinity to Russia.
On Monday, Alberta’s Opposition NDP called on her to apologize for her “tone deaf” and “cruel” remarks, noting that Alberta is home to about a quarter of all Canadians of Ukrainian heritage.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2022
The Canadian Press
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
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