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Kelly, Argos have shot at redemption in East Division final rematch with Alouettes

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Chad Kelly and the Toronto Argonauts can flip the script versus the Montreal Alouettes.

Toronto visits Montreal on Saturday in an East Division final rematch. Last year, the Alouettes forced nine turnovers — returning two of Kelly’s four interceptions for TDs — in a stunning 38-17 road win before downing Winnipeg 28-24 in the Grey Cup.

That loss tarnished an otherwise stellar season for both Toronto and Kelly. The Argos posted a 16-2 record while Kelly was the league’s outstanding player.

This year, though, Montreal (league-best 12-5-1 record) finished comfortably atop the East. Toronto (10-8) needed a late-season win over Ottawa (9-8-1) to clinch second and home field for last weekend’s 58-38 division semifinal win over the Redblacks.

Kelly passed for 358 yards with four TDs and ran for another in that game. Ottawa’s Dru Brown threw for 487 yards and three touchdowns but both of his interceptions were returned for scores.

Toronto captured the season series with Montreal 2-1, winning with both Cameron Dukes and Kelly at quarterback. Dukes was 1-1 versus the Alouettes while Kelly served his league-imposed suspension for violating its gender-based violence policy.

The league reinstated Kelly in August. He played in Toronto’s 37-31 home win over Montreal on Sept. 28, completing 19-of-30 passes for 287 yards with an interception while rushing three times for 25 yards.

Toronto’s ground game anchored that victory. The Argos ran for 234 yards (7.8-yard average) and accumulated 517 net offensive yards.

The run has been important for Toronto, which finished the regular season second overall in rushing (121.3 yards per game). The Argos cracked the 100-yard plateau on the ground in all three games versus Montreal.

The Alouettes’ stellar defence finished second in fewest offensive points allowed (21 points per game) and features standout linebackers Tyrice Beverette (CFL-best 137 defensive plays) and Darnell Sankey (third overall in tackles with 107). But it was seventh against the run (115.9 yards per game) and eighth in yards per rush (5.7).

However, Montreal does dare teams to run, especially on first down, because even a six-yard gain still sets up a passing situation on second down. The Alouettes were second in pass defence (267.1 yards per game) and tops in fewest 30-yard completions (14) and TD passes (17) allowed.

Montreal finished last in net offence (332.9 yards per game) and fifth in offensive points (24.1). Cody Fajardo missed five starts due to injury but still was the most accurate starter (73.2 per cent) and had 16 TDs against just seven interceptions.

Montreal didn’t skip a beat with either Davis Alexander (4-0) or Caleb Evans (1-0) under centre. The Alouettes also recorded a CFL-high 36 completions of 30-plus yards while Toronto allowed a league-worst 36 but still led the CFL in sacks (48).

Montreal ended its regular season with consecutive losses but did have first place clinched and is coming off a bye week. The Alouettes are 6-3 at home while Toronto is 3-6 away from BMO Field.

Pick: Montreal.

West Division final: Saskatchewan Roughriders versus Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Saturday night)

At Winnipeg, the Blue Bombers look to earn a fifth straight West Division final victory. Saskatchewan has dropped its last eight games in Manitoba and lost the season series 2-1.

Canadian Brady Oliveira ran for 1,353 yards and had six 100-yard games — both league-highs — but Saskatchewan held him to under 50 yards rushing in all three matchups this season. Then again, the Riders allowed a league-low 80.3 yards per game on the ground.

Saskatchewan also led the CFL in forced turnovers (49), fumbles forced (17) and recovered (14) while ranking second in interceptions (24) and tackles for loss (37). Rolan Milligan Jr. led the league in interceptions (eight) and defensive take-aways (eight).

Winnipeg’s defence led the CFL in fewest offensive points (19.9 per game), net offensive yards (328.6) and passing yards (234.8). It did allow rushing yards (104.2 per game, 5.3 per carry) but like Montreal counters with a solid aerial game plan.

Riders’ starter Trevor Harris can certainly find holes in a defence and Saskatchewan’s running game features the two-headed monster of A.J. Ouellette and Ryquell Armstead.

Winnipeg starter Zach Collaros, twice the CFL’s outstanding player, was second in passing yards (4,336) but had nearly as many interceptions (15) as touchdowns (17). Collaros and Fajardo were both sacked 34 times, tied for most among league starters.

Winnipeg certainly has a big weapon in kicker Sergio Castillo, who twice hit from 60 yards out this year, a league first. Castillo was the CFL’s best from 50-plus yards (11-of-16) and made 38-of-39 converts.

An intangible, though, is Winnipeg’s Mike O’Shea, twice the CFL’s coach of the year. The Bombers under O’Shea are not only well coached but disciplined as they averaged 5.3 penalties for 49.1 yards per game this year, both league lows.

Winnipeg was 7-3 within the West and 6-3 at home whereas Saskatchewan was 5-5 versus division opponents and 4-4-1 on the road.

Pick: Winnipeg.

Last week: 2-0.

CP’s overall record: 51-32.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2023.



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Police lay sex assault charges against Calgary man who volunteered to help newcomers

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CALGARY – Police in Calgary have laid sexual assault charges against a man who volunteered helping newcomers come to Canada.

They say that last month an adult complainant came to a police station to report multiple sexual assaults between December 2023 and June 2024.

Police say the accused had been assigned to a newcomer family through a local organization, and they allege he took advantage of the complainant’s immigration status to commit the assaults.

Insp. Keith Hurley says in a news release that reporting a crime will not affect anyone’s immigration status.

An 83-year-old man has been charged with three counts of sexual assault.

He’s next to appear in court on Nov. 27.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Charges laid in multi-million dollar auto theft investigation in Toronto

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Toronto police say they have arrested two men and laid 176 charges against them in relation to a multi-million dollar vehicle theft investigation.

Police allege the suspects, who worked at a dealership in Toronto, acquired and sold stolen vehicles to unsuspecting customers, using their positions as legitimate auto salespeople.

Investigators say they have so far been able to link the accused to 22 fraudulent auto sales worth approximately $2,188,000.

They allege the suspects purchased vehicles from a number of companies, including some owned by themselves, using funds from the dealership and then created fraudulent sales agreements and changed the Vehicle Identification Numbers known as VINs.

Police say the investigation dubbed Project Warden began in August and continued until last month when eight search warrants on residences, commercial garages and vehicles were executed.

They say two re-VINned vehicles and numerous documents and electronics were found during the search.

A 35-year-old suspect from Barrie, Ont., is set to appear in court on Dec. 17, while a 32-year-old suspect from Mississauga, Ont., was scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 22.

Police are urging potential vehicle buyers to be extra cautious when purchasing used cars and look for discrepancies in the vehicle’s history, such as having the wrong colour or inconsistent odometer readings.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2025.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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After 18-year-old with autism goes missing, mom says Ontario needs vulnerable alerts

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TORONTO – When Jenny Tozer’s 18-year-old son with autism had been missing for more than two weeks, she started to prepare herself for the worst.

Logan left their home in Havelock, Ont., in the middle of the night, travelled 35 kilometres north through wooded areas and got lost trying to get back home, his mom said.

He was eventually found in an abandoned building on the 17th day of his disappearance — “safe with only three tick bites and an adventure to tell,” Tozer said — but the outcome could have easily been tragic, she said.

“(I was) trying to figure out how I was going to hold it together for all his siblings, because they couldn’t understand why he wasn’t home either, and they weren’t sleeping,” Tozer said Wednesday at a press conference.

“I wasn’t sleeping. It was kind of chaotic. It was something no one should have to go through and I’m just very, very lucky that he came home alive.”

Tozer is now adding her voice to others calling on the government to create a new type of alert for vulnerable people.

A provincial private member’s bill from New Democrat Monique Taylor would implement a system of alerts for vulnerable people such as children with autism or seniors with dementia, similar to Amber Alerts, but it is stalled at the committee stage in the legislature.

She introduced the bill in March 2023 and one day of public hearings was held a year later, but the next stage — in which the legislative committee looks at the bill clause by clause and considers amendments — has not yet happened.

“We’re here today to let the government know that we’ll do whatever it takes to ensure this passage, whether it’s sharing the bill with a member of the government — take the bill, make it your own, it doesn’t matter,” Taylor said Wednesday.

“This isn’t about me. It’s truly about the legislation and making sure that we get it passed.”

The bill was inspired by the stories of Draven Graham, a boy with autism who drowned in 2022 after going missing, and Shirley Love, a senior who died in December of that year after leaving her home not dressed for winter weather.

Those families support the bill, as does the Ontario Autism Coalition.

“Just try and envision how it would feel to lose a loved one who, due to their disability or cognitive impairment, is unable to ask for help, is unable to understand safety concerns and is often not going to be able to find their way home,” said Kate Dudley-Logue, vice-president of the coalition.

“It’s terrifying, and it’s any caregiver’s worst nightmare. In the autism community, we all hold our breaths and feel this immense stress every time we hear stories like Logan’s, because so many of us have experienced it and know all too well the very real possibility that their child may not come home.”

There are already various tools used to find missing people and try to help keep vulnerable people out of danger, Taylor said, but this alert system would be a necessary additional layer.

Paul Calandra said last year when he was government house leader that he believed the bill was flawed and he wanted it to go to committee so it could be improved. The office of the current government house leader, Steve Clark, did not immediately respond to questions about the bill.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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