Car set on fire at home of owner of Old Montreal buildings hit by fatal arsons

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her plan to “Uber-ize” and replace the province’s online continuing care directory is aimed at making it easier for patients to navigate, and the analogy shouldn’t be taken too far.

It comes a day after Smith announced at a continuing care conference she aims to create a new platform that works much like the ride-hailing and food delivery service.

It’s part of the provincial government’s health-care system overhaul that will see the responsibility for continuing care shift from the Health Ministry to Seniors and Social Services.

Smith’s Uber analogy sparked concern from public health care advocates and the Opposition NDP that further privatization plans are afoot.

Smith says there are no plans to change the current provision model.

Alberta Health Services currently offers an online directory that allows Albertans to search for spaces by name, location and type of care, but Smith says there’s a demand for more transparency to make sure all vacant spaces are posted.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

RICHMOND, B.C. – The Transportation Safety Board says a mistake by a Canadian Pacific Railway supervisor set off a crash between a freight train and a railway work vehicle in Cache Creek, B.C.

The board’s report says the supervisor was inspecting the main tracks on Dec. 29, 2022, in a vehicle that can operate on both roads and rail when he noticed a defect that needed repair.

It says that while the man was repairing the track, an eastbound freight train crashed into the unoccupied vehicle, but no one was hurt.

The board says that its investigation found when the supervisor noticed the problem, he requested a second permit allowing him to be on the tracks, but he cancelled the wrong permission, leaving the track he was working on unprotected.

The board says it issued a safety advisory to CP Rail, saying its verification procedures for cancelling electronic track occupancy permits were “less rigorous” than using their radio to cancel a permit.

The board says the railway has confirmed it had implemented safety changes, including enhancing its electronic application for such permits.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

REGINA – Scott Moe says his Saskatchewan Party would issue a directive banning “biological boys” from using school changing rooms with “biological girls” if it forms government again on Oct. 28.

Moe says the move is in response to a recent complaint that some biological males changed for gym class with girls at a school in southeast Saskatchewan.

He says school divisions should already have change room policies, but a provincial policy would ensure all have the rule in place.

The Saskatchewan Party government passed legislation last year that requires parents consent to children under 16 using different names or pronouns at school.

The law has faced backlash from some LGBTQ+ advocates who argue it violates Charter rights and could cause teachers to out or misgender children.

NDP Leader Carla Beck has said if elected her party would repeal the legislation, and she says Moe’s proposed locker room policy would make already vulnerable kids more vulnerable.

Moe said a directive would come from his education minister.

“If we are re-elected, I’ll be very clear, there will be a directive that would come from the Minister of Education that would say that biological boys will not be in the change room with biological girls,” Moe said Thursday at an election campaign news conference in Regina.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.