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In the news today: Israel increases strikes on Gaza ahead of expected ground invasion – National Post

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Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Israel increases strikes on Gaza, as two more hostages are freed

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Israel has escalated its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion against Hamas militants.

The stepped-up attacks, and the rapidly rising death toll in Gaza, came as Hamas released two elderly Israeli women who were among the hundreds of hostages it captured during its devastating attacks on towns in southern Israel earlier this month.

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The fighting started when Hamas militants rampaged through Israeli towns on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people and taking hundreds hostage.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry says since then, more than 5,000 Palestinians, including some 2,000 minors and around 1,100 women, have been killed.

Here’s what else we’re watching …

Grocers called back to Parliament over prices

A House of Commons committee is asking the heads of Canada’s major grocery chains to explain their plans to stabilize food prices.

The committee passed an NDP motion on Thursday to invite the grocery executives, and summon them if necessary, to testify about the measures their companies are taking to address food inflation.

This comes after Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced the companies have presented plans to the government to tackle rising prices, which he says include discounts, price freezes and price-matching campaigns.

The parliamentary committee is asking the grocers to submit their plans by Nov. 2.

Unifor to bargain Ont., N.L. Loblaw-owned stores

Unifor is set to bargain on behalf of more than 2,800 grocery store workers at Loblaw-owned stores in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, testing whether the union can bring the gains it made for Toronto Metro workers to other grocery chains.

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More than 3,700 Metro workers in Greater Toronto went on strike this summer after rejecting their first tentative deal. They accepted an agreement more than a month later that the union called historic.

Unifor has made it clear it intends to try and replicate those wins for other grocery workers it represents.

A pair of agreements representing around 2,850 workers at multiple Ontario No Frills stores and multiple Newfoundland and Labrador Dominion stores expire this month.

Macklem warns premiers against interference in BoC

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem warned premiers who asked the central bank not to raise interest rates last month that their requests could undermine the institution’s independence.

The premiers of Ontario, B-C and Newfoundland and Labrador wrote letters to Macklem ahead of the Bank of Canada’s September 6th rate decision, asking that the central bank not raise interest rates again because of concerns about the effects on residents.

Macklem responded to these letters on Sept. 13 acknowledging that higher interest rates are making life challenging for Canadians, but noted that inflation also tends to hurt the most vulnerable people in society.

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However, he warned that instructions or requests from elected officials could give the impression that the Bank of Canada’s independence is at risk.

Alberta regulator mulls well reclamation change

Alberta’s Energy Regulator is considering giving oil and gas companies an advance break on the environmental liabilities of old well sites before the cleanup is certified complete.

But critics say the proposal weakens the ability of landowners to hold bad actors to account and depends on an audit system that many already question.

The proposal would let companies reduce their liability for an old well as soon as the work has been done, instead of having to wait until the site has healthy plant cover.

The regulator says the move would reward companies that remediate their old sites promptly, cutting the amount of environmental red ink on their books and making it easier for them to sell or buy old wells.

Talking about drinking key to getting help: docs

Many doctors are on board with new guidelines urging them to ask patients about alcohol use, but they also note that some people lose track of how much they drink, others lie and many don’t know what constitutes a single serving.

Family physician Ginette Poulin, who specialized in addiction medicine in Manitoba and Ontario, says it’s important for primary care providers to normalize these conversations.

She says early detection of high-risk drinking is key to preventing serious health problems.

Poulin is one of the authors of a clinical guideline document published last week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, and she notes routine screening for alcohol would be the same as for diabetes and high blood pressure.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2023.

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CP NewsAlert: Two people confirmed killed when Vancouver Island road washed out

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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.

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Sonia Furstenau staying on as B.C. Greens leader in wake of indecisive election

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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.

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Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio making a difference off the pitch as well as on it

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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.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.



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