Enbridge Energy’s plans to build a protective tunnel around an aging pipeline that runs beneath a channel connecting two Great Lakes can continue, a Michigan appeals court ruled.

The state Public Service Commission properly issued permits for the $500 million project, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday in rejecting arguments from environmental groups and Native American tribes that commissioners failed to consider the overall need for the pipeline.

Tunnel would encase pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac

Enbridge wants to build a protective tunnel around a 4-mile (6-kilometer) section of its Line 5 pipeline that runs along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, which link Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Enbridge has been using the pipeline since 1953 to transport crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario.

Concerns about a potentially catastrophic spill in the straits have been building since 2017, when Enbridge officials revealed that engineers had known about gaps in the pipeline’s coating in the straits since 2014. Fears of a spill escalated in 2018 when a boat anchor damaged the line.

Enbridge officials maintain that the line is structurally sound, but they still reached an agreement with then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration in 2018 that calls for the company to build the protective tunnel.

Environmental groups, tribes challenge state permits

The Michigan Public Service Commission issued state permits for the project in December 2023. Environmental groups including the Michigan Environmental Council and the National Wildlife Federation, along with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and the Nottawseppi Huron band of the Potawatomi asked the appellate court last year to reverse the commission’s decision.

The groups and the tribes alleged that the commission improperly considered only the public need for the tunnel rather than whether the entire pipeline as a whole is still necessary. They also argued the commission failed to adequately consider petroleum products’ greenhouse gas impacts.

Court: Commission acted reasonably

The appellate court found that the commission issued a “comprehensive” opinion and acted reasonably. It said there was no basis for a reversal or to order the commission to revisit its decision.

David Scott, a senior attorney for the Environmental Law & Policy Center and the Michigan Climate Action Network, which are also plaintiffs in the case, said in an email that he was disappointed with the ruling and considering further moves. He didn’t elaborate. Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy praised the decision, saying the tunnel will make a safe pipeline even safer.

The legal fight isn’t over

The ruling Wednesday doesn’t end the legal battle over the tunnel. Current Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, opposes the continued operation of Line 5 even if it’s encased in a tunnel. Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit in 2019 seeking to void the easement that allows the line to run beneath the straits. That case is pending in state court in Ingham County. A ruling could come any day.

Enbridge still needs federal construction permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, although environmentalists fear that President Donald Trump’s administration will fast-track that process after Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office.

Todd Richmond, The Associated Press

February 18th was supposed to be all about a $16.5 billion provincial budget that offered historic tax relief and unprecedented government spending on capital projects such as hospitals and schools. But it turned out to be about much more.

The post Province House: Nova Scotia’s ‘not happening’ file appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

Nova Scotia Auditor General Kim Adair is pleading with the Houston government to scrap changes being proposed to the law that governs her work, which she says seriously undermine the independence of her office.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Snowy roads led to hundreds of crashes throughout Virginia and North Carolina, including a series of crashes on an interstate highway involving more than 50 vehicles, as officials continued to ask people Thursday to avoid travel to allow crews to work on the roads.

Two separate collisions stopped traffic on Interstate 40 in Orange County, North Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon and the stopped vehicles were struck from behind, including a tractor trailer that hit a passenger vehicle, causing a fatality, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. A total of 53 vehicles were involved in 12 crashes in the area, the highway patrol said. The driver of the tractor trailer was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and exceeding a safe speed for conditions.

The highway patrol responded to nearly 1,200 collisions statewide on Wednesday, according to Sgt. Christopher Knox. Crashes on Wednesday also closed portions of Interstate 95 and I-85 near Raleigh, North Carolina.

Virginia State Police reported early Thursday that there had been nearly 500 crashes statewide since the storm began, including at least 45 involving injuries. There had been no fatal crashes.

Emergency workers in Suffolk, Virginia, rescued two people from an SUV that crashed into water on Wednesday afternoon, according to the city’s Department of Fire & Rescue. Photos the department posted on social media showed rescuers stretching a ladder to the vehicle’s roof and helping one person clinging to the roof rails crawl across the ladder to land.

About 7,500 electric customers in North Carolina were without power Thursday morning, according to PowerOutage.us, with most in east-central counties where freezing rain and ice accumulation had been forecast. About 1,800 flights were canceled or delayed on Thursday across the U.S., including about 250 flights in and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware.com.

After the significant snowfall across Virginia on Wednesday, forecasters expected lingering snow showers to bring another half inch of snow on Thursday. The National Weather Service received reports of about 12.5 inches (31.8 centimeters) of snow in the Greenbrier area south of Norfolk and about 4 inches (10 centimeters) in the Richmond area, according to Nancy Moll, a meteorologist with the weather service’s office in Wakefield, Virginia.

An Arctic air mass was bringing widespread, record-breaking cold to the central United States, and forecasters expected some locations in the Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley to experience their coldest temperatures on record this late in the season, according to the Weather Prediction Center. In Detroit, crews are fixing a large water main break that left dozens of people without power and heat amid temperatures well below freezing.

___

Associated Press writer Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.

Ben Finley, The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A news conference after talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy was canceled Thursday at the request of U.S. officials, a Kyiv official said.

The scheduled comments to the media by Zelenskyy and retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, were called off after their meeting, the Ukrainian president’s spokesman Serhii Nikiforov said.

Kellogg’s trip to Kyiv coincided with recent feuding between Trump and Zelenskyy that has bruised their personal relations and cast further doubt on the future of U.S. support for Ukraine’s war effort.

Nikiforov gave no other reason other than that the cancellation was in accordance with U.S. wishes.

The U.S. delegation made no immediate comment.

When the meeting began, photographers and video journalists were allowed into a room where the two men shook hands before sitting across from each other at a table at the presidential office in Kyiv.

The two men were due to speak about Trump’s efforts to end the almost three-year war.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

The Associated Press

Entitlement is a big ol' pyramid scheme.

The post Mediocre white men will be the end of us appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

TORONTO — The Tragically Hip’s songbook is getting the jukebox musical treatment under the guidance of “Come From Away” producer Michael Rubinoff.

Named after a Hip song, the show dubbed “It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken” promises to draw on the band’s deep catalogue of Canadian classics, including lyrics by late frontman Gord Downie.

Rubinoff will be assisted by fellow producers David and Hannah Mirvish.

The book is written by Brian Hill, who worked on the Broadway musical “The Story of My Life,” and Ahmed Moneka, a nominee at this year’s Juno Awards for global music album.

Producers say the musical will premiere at Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius next year with plans to further develop the project at Toronto Metropolitan University’s theatre school.

An open casting call is set for March 9 at the Creative School Chrysalis at Toronto Metropolitan University.

The song “It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken” appeared on the Hip’s 2002 album “In Violet Light.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

David Friend, The Canadian Press

<!– Photo: 59971aa4b0a96d981726bcc043f35428cd255046141bda7f57cd71f8a433278f.jpg, Caption:

The Tragically Hip perform in Vancouver, Sunday, July, 24, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

–>

Coun. Shawn Cleary's motion to defer Halifax Regional Police budget back to police board fails.

The post Committee approves budgets for Halifax police, RCMP appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

Wednesday’s ‘Together We Rise' rally attracted a diverse crowd that gathered in solidarity against GBV and to honour victims, support survivors, and to demand change.

The post Nova Scotians rally in solidarity against gender-based violence appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

VANCOUVER — Teck Resources Ltd. reported a profit in its latest quarter compared with a loss a year earlier, helped by record copper production.

The Vancouver-based mining company says it earned a profit from continuing operations attributable to shareholders of $385 million or 75 cents per share for the quarter ended Dec. 31.

The result compared with a loss of $167 million or 32 cents per diluted share in the last three months of 2023.

On an adjusted basis, Teck says it earned 45 cents per diluted share from its continuing operations, up from an adjusted profit of four cents per share a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter totalled $2.8 billion, up from $1.8 billion.

Copper production in the quarter amounted to 122,000 tonnes, up from 103,000 a year earlier, while zinc in concentrate totalled 146,000 tonnes, down from 182,000 tonnes. Refined zinc production totalled 62,000 tonnes, down from 70,000 tonnes a year earlier.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TECK.B)

The Canadian Press

The videos and images of recent airplane crashes are hard to shake.

For some, it has ignited a fear of flying – but is it warranted?

The statistics say one thing, but our minds say another. So what can we do?

Host Melanie Ng speaks with Dr. Ian Shulman, psychologist and clinical director at Shift Cognitive Therapy – where even her subconscious kicks in, making an error right at the beginning of the episode, contrary to her notes.

The Nova Scotia government has formalized an agreement to sell a former hotel construction site that's been converted into a health-care facility to a prominent long-term care operator for $114 million.

The study, conducted by Mount Saint Vincent University researchers, found that members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community often felt the need to hide their gender or sexuality when accessing food support services.

There's been a lot of ice this winter, making for slippery sidewalks and driveways. And it's sometimes hard for people to track down road salt. So what can you use instead? CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon explains.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The bodies of four Israelis taken captive by Hamas, including those said to be of the last female and child hostages in Gaza, were released Thursday, bringing to 28 the number of captives freed since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on Jan. 19.

The bodies returned to Israel are presumed to include Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, whose plight has captivated Israelis since they were taken during Hamas’ deadly attack on Oct. 7, 2023. The body of one of the oldest hostages held was also said to have been returned. The remains now need to be formally identified.

In the first phase of the ceasefire deal, a total of 33 hostages in Gaza — eight of whom are dead — are supposed to be freed in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Five Thai citizens who were working in Israel on the day of the attack were freed last month as part of a separate deal.

Hamas-led militants took 251 hostages during their Oct. 7, 2023, attack that launched the war in Gaza. More than 60 hostages remain in Gaza, although about half are believed to be dead. The others were released, rescued, or their bodies recovered.

Israel’s military campaign has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters but says more than half were women or children.

Here’s a look at the hostages returned so far:

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas

The bodies said to be of Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, were returned Thursday. They were abducted along with Shiri’s husband, Yarden, from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas said the three were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Yarden Bibas was released earlier this month during the ceasefire deal.

A video capturing their abduction showed a terrified Shiri Bibas swaddling her two redheaded sons in a blanket and being carried away by militants. The footage ricocheted around the world in the hours after the attack began.

Ariel was 4 years old at the time of the attack and his brother, Kfir, was 9 months old, making him the youngest captive taken by Hamas. Ariel Bibas loved Batman and family photos showed the four Bibases dressed as the character. Kfir, the infant with red hair and a toothless smile, became a symbol across Israel for the feelings of helplessness and anger over the hostages’ captivity.

Oded Lifshitz, 84

The body said to be of Oded Lifshitz, one of the oldest hostages held by the militants, was returned Thursday. He was taken captive from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with his wife, Yocheved Lifshitz, who was freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.

Oded Lifshitz was shot in the hand in the attack. His family has suspected for months that he died in captivity.

The couple are among the founders of Nir Oz. Oded, a journalist, campaigned for the recognition of Palestinian rights and peace between Arabs and Jews. In retirement, he drove to the Erez border crossing on the northern edge of the Gaza Strip once a week to ferry Palestinians to medical appointments in Israel as part of a group called On the Way to Recovery.

Oded took pride in his work helping the traditionally nomadic Bedouin people of the Negev Desert, his daughter told The Associated Press, describing a case that went to Israel’s High Court and resulted in the return of some of their land.

Sagui Dekel Chen, 36

An Israeli-American, Chen was working outside on his pet project, bus conversions, when militants stormed his kibbutz. He instructed his wife, Avital, to hide in the safe room with their two daughters. Chen, one of the first people to raise alarm of the infiltration on the kibbutz, was taken captive.

Avital was seven months pregnant at the time of the attack; she gave birth to a third daughter, Shachar Mazal, in December 2023.

Chen is an avid tennis player who co-founded an arts center for young people in southern Israel, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group representing the families of hostages,

Iair Horn, 46

Horn is an Israel-Argentinian who was taken captive along with his brother, Eitan Horn, who was staying with him at the time. Eitan Horn remains in captivity and his name is not on the list of hostages to be released during the ceasefire’s first phase.

Iair Horn managed the kibbutz pub and is a fan of the local soccer team in Beer Sheba, according to the hostages forum. Friends gathered at the kibbutz pub on Nir Oz to watch Horn’s release from captivity and to toast his return, according to Israeli media.

Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29

Sasha Trufanov, an Israeli-Russian, was taken hostage along with three members of his family: grandmother Irena Tati, mother Yelena (Lena) and girlfriend Sapir Cohen. His father, Vitaly Trufanov, was killed on Oct. 7, 2023. The rest of his family was freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.

Sasha Troufanov works as an engineer for Amazon, according to the hostages forum. His family immigrated to Israel from the Soviet Union 25 years ago.

He was believed to be held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group in Gaza, which has released multiple videos of him in captivity, including one just hours before his release.

Eli Sharabi, 52

Eli Sharabi was taken captive by the militants from Kibbutz Beeri, a communal farm that was one of the hardest hit in the Hamas attack. His British-born wife, Lianne, and their teenage daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were killed by militants while hiding in their safe room. His brother, Yossi Sharabi, who lived next door, was killed in captivity. Hamas militants are holding his body, according to the Hostages Forum.

Eli Sharabi’s home bore marks from the attack months later. AP journalists saw bullet holes in the walls and the shattered oven and TV screens. Nearby homes were torched by militants and their roofs blasted off during fighting on Oct. 7.

Ohad Ben Ami, 56

Ohad Ben Ami, a father to three, was taken captive with his wife, Raz, from Kibbutz Beeri, where he was an accountant. Raz Ben Ami was released during the weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.

The hostages forum described Ohad Ben Ami as a “passionate nature enthusiast” and the “cornerstone of his family.”

Or Levy, 34

Or Levy was pulled out by the militants from a bomb shelter near the Nova music festival in southern Israel. His wife, Einav Levy, was killed during the attack. Their son Almog, now 3, has been in the care of relatives since the assault.

Levy was taken captive alongside American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin as well as two other hostages — Eliya Cohen and Alon Ohel. Goldberg-Polin, whose parents staged a high-profile campaign for his release, was killed in Hamas captivity.

Or Levy is from the city of Rishon Lezion, where he worked as a computer programmer for a startup.

Yarden Bibas, 35

The release of Yarden Bibas dimmed hopes that his wife and children were still alive in Gaza.

Hamas has claimed that the three were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesperson said last month that the government was “extremely concerned” about their welfare.

Yarden Bibas was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7. Photos from the abduction show him wounded, bleeding from the head.

Keith Siegel, 65

Keith Siegel, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was abducted with his wife, Aviva Siegel, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a communal farming village heavily damaged by the attack. She was freed during the November 2023 ceasefire deal, and has campaigned across the world for the release of her husband and other hostages.

Aviva Siegel said that she was held hostage with her husband during her 51 days in captivity. She said she took comfort from having her husband by her side as they were moved from tunnel to tunnel, the two given almost no food or water. Her parting words to him were, “Be strong for me.”

Ofer Kalderon, 54

Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli hostage, was taken captive from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His teenage children, Sahar and Erez, were also abducted, but they were freed during the weeklong ceasefire in 2023.

Arbel Yehoud, 29

Arbel Yehoud was taken hostage with her boyfriend, Ariel Cunio, from Kibbutz Nir Oz. A third-generation resident of the kibbutz, she loves science and space, and her friends held a public star gazing to mark her birthday in captivity.

Her brother, Dolev Yehoud, was killed on Oct. 7.

Agam Berger, 20

In videos of Agam Berger’s abduction, her face is covered in blood, though it’ unclear if it is from her own wound or those of other soldiers.

Berger is a violin player from a suburb of Tel Aviv who enlisted in the army just two months before the attack.

Gadi Moses, 80

Gadi Moses was one of the oldest hostages who remained in captivity in Gaza.

He was taken from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities hardest-hit in the Hamas-led attack. The hostages forum described Moses as an expert agronomist who lectured on agriculture and helped maintain the kibbutz’s community vegetable garden.

Moses’ partner, Efrat, was killed during the attack.

Watchara Sriaoun, 33

In the Oct. 7 attack, militants overran the compound where agricultural workers lived on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Out of the 16 Thai workers living there, 11 were killed and five, including Watchara Sriaoun, were abducted.

They were among at least 31 Thai workers taken in the assault. In the November 2023 ceasefire, 23 were released in a deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas, with assistance from Qatar and Iran.

Sathian Suwannakham, 35

Sathian Suwannakham was also taken from Nir Oz. The kibbutz has continued to advocate for the release of the Thai workers by posting regularly about them on social media, in addition to the Israeli hostages.

Surasak Rumnao, 32

Surasak Rumnao was abducted from the town of Yesha, located near the southern Gaza Strip.

His mother, Khammee Lamnao, said the Thai Embassy in Israel called her to let her know her son would be released.

Pongsak Thaenna, 36

Pongsak Thaenna was also taken from the town of Yesha. Thais make up the largest group of foreigners held in Gaza.

In the early days after the Oct. 7 attack, then-Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in phone conversations to assist the Thai hostages.

Bannawat Saethao, 27

Bannawat Saethao was also abducted from the town of Yesha.

Liri Albag, 19

Liri Albag, who was among those abducted from the Nahal Oz military base, was featured in a video Hamas released in early January, filmed under duress. Her family said the video was “difficult to watch” because of Albag’s clear emotional distress. They were particularly active in the protest movement pushing for a deal with Hamas to bring the hostages home.

“Liri, if you’re hearing us, tell the others that all the families are moving heaven and earth and want their children home, and we will fight until all hostages are returned,” her father said in a statement after the video was released.

Karina Ariev, 20

Karina Ariev was also taken from Nahal Oz.

Just before she was abducted, she she sent a message to her family, saying: “If I don’t live, take care of mom and dad all their lives. Don’t give up, live,” according to Israeli media. Her family said she loves to cook, sing, dance and write poetry.

Daniella Gilboa, 20

Also taken from Nahal Oz, Daniella Gilboa was originally named Danielle. Her parents changed it after she was taken captive, in line with a Jewish tradition that is believed to bring God’s protection.

Gilboa, from Petah Tikva, a suburb of Tel Aviv, played piano and studied music in high school. She dreams of being a singer, according to Israeli media.

Naama Levy, 20

The footage from Naama Levy’s abduction, in which she is wearing gray sweatpants covered in blood, was shown around the world.

Levy, among those taken from Nahal Oz, is a triathlete. When she was younger, she participated in the “Hands of Peace” delegation, which brings together Americans, Israelis and Palestinians to work on coexistence.

Romi Gonen, 24

Romi Gonen was taken from the Nova music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. She spoke to her family for nearly five hours as militants marauded through the festival grounds. She told them that roads clogged with abandoned cars made escape impossible and that she would seek shelter in some bushes.

Her father, Eitan Goren, said she survived in part by learning Arabic, as it was the only way to communicate with her captors. “I just enjoy being with her even in silence, touching, hugging, watching her,” he said, a week after her release. “I missed it so much.”

Emily Damari, 28

Emily Damari is a British-Israeli citizen abducted from her apartment on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. She lived in a small apartment in a neighborhood for young adults, the closest part of the kibbutz to Gaza. Militants broke through the border fence of the kibbutz and ransacked the neighborhood.

The day after her release, Emily’s mother, Mandy, said her daughter was “in high spirits and on the road to recovery.”

Doron Steinbrecher, 31

Doron Steinbrecher is a veterinary nurse who loves animals, and a neighbor to Damari in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Steinbrecher holds both Israeli and Romanian citizenship.

Steinbrecher was featured in a video released by Hamas in January 2024, along with two female Israeli soldiers. Her brother said the video gave them hope that she was alive but sparked concern because she looked tired, weak and gaunt.

___

Associated Press writer Haruka Nega in Bangkok, Thailand, contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

The Associated Press

Three of Nova Scotia’s top hockey players will look to lead Canada to a rematch win over the U.S. tonight in the 4 Nations Faceoff Championship game. At 37, Sidney Crosby, also known as “Sid the Kid,” is tied for the tournament lead in points with five.

Crosby, along with fellow Nova Scotians Nathan MacKinnon and Brad Marchand, and the rest of Team Canada, will have a chance at redemption after losing to the U.S. 3-1 in Saturday’s round robin.

The last time Canada and the U.S. met in a best-on-best final? Vancouver 2010. Canadian hockey fans will never forget Crosby’s golden goal.

Will Canada find more magic, and will the Nova Scotia trio lead the way?

Find out tonight at 9 p.m. on Sportsnet.

The province’s move to lift the ban on fracking and uranium exploration is being criticized by the Ecology Action Centre.

Earlier this week, the Nova Scotia government introduced a bill that would remove blanket bans on uranium exploration and hydraulic fracking of fossil fuels in the province.

The Ecology Action Centre expressed shock at the decision, warning of what it calls unacceptable risks to Nova Scotia’s fresh water, community health, key industries, and the climate.

According to the organization, removing safeguards could allow leftover tailings to seep into groundwater, potentially contaminating the environment with toxins. These toxins, the centre warns, could cause a range of health issues, from rashes and burns to elevated rates of cancer and birth defects.

The centre has also criticized the Houston government for its actions, calling them undemocratic, as the government did not campaign on removing safeguards related to resource extraction.

The list of potential American tariffs that could affect Canada grew Wednesday night when U.S. President Donald Trump dropped the idea of a 25 per cent levy on lumber and forest products.

Speaking to the media onboard Air Force One, Trump said his administration was eyeing some time around April for the latest announced duty.

Earlier this month, Trump paused until March 4th his initially planned 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods and a lower 10-per-cent levy on imports of Canadian energy.

Canada’s forestry sector recently described the threatened tariffs as unnecessary and unwarranted, given that the U.S. currently meets only about 70 per cent of its homebuilding lumber needs domestically and uses Canadian lumber to fill the gap.

If the threatened 25 per cent tariff is added on top of current duties already in place, the combined total on softwood exports to the United States will be closer to the 50 or 55 per cent estimate.

The U.S. last raised duties on softwood lumber from Canada in August 2024 from 8.05 per cent to 14.54 per cent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

The Canadian Press

Canadian grocers, large and small, are seeking alternatives to U.S. products ahead of a potential trade war, while highlighting homegrown products already available on their shelves.

The two countries are in the midst of a truce that’s set to end in early March, but grocers aren’t waiting around to see what happens.

“I think this is just the new normal that we’d better get used to working with, and in some cases, ‘working with’ just means finding other, better long-term solutions that are reliable and stable,” said Gordon Dean, who owns and operates five grocery stores in Ontario and Quebec.

Buying Canadian has always been the motto at Mike Dean Local Grocer. But the company is doubling down on what Dean calls “Canadian content.”

In the produce aisle, where Canada is particularly reliant on U.S. imports, Dean said suppliers are already diversifying.

About two weeks before Trump’s initial tariff announcement Feb. 1, Dean said suppliers started moving away from U.S.-sourced produce.

“They are pulling some product from areas of the world that we typically as Canadians aren’t used to,” he said.

“I’m selling green grapes and red grapes on my shelf right now that are product of Namibia.”

The weaker loonie has made it easier for Dean to justify the switch. He said he recently turned down several price increase requests from suppliers on U.S. products.

“We’re just going to discontinue them. I’m going to find a different replacement that is domestic,” he said.

Rick Rabba, the president of Toronto-area chain Rabba Fine Foods, is also thinking about what tariffs could mean for the fruits and vegetables he sells in his stores.

The company has been holding meetings with primarily Ontario producers to find alternatives “because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said.

Though Canada is quite reliant on imported fruits and vegetables in the winter, Rabba said the domestic greenhouse sector has expanded in recent years, meaning there are more alternatives for some produce, such as lettuce, than there used to be.

“It’s not that we have anything against produce from the United States. It’s just that we want to make sure that our GTA-based, Canadian-based customers don’t have an interruption of supply, regardless of what happens. So we always want to make sure that we’re looking for alternatives,” he said.

In a recent newsletter, Peter Chapman of consulting firm SKUFood said specialty grocers have been “all over” the buy Canadian trend, as they can differentiate themselves by reacting quickly.

Of the major grocers, he said Loblaw has been the most vocal.

“This is definitely an opportunity for Canadian manufacturers … now is the time to leverage the opportunity,” he wrote.

Loblaw spokeswoman Catherine Thomas said the grocer is talking with its existing vendors to source more Canadian products, as well as looking into new and alternative local vendors.

It’s also looking to broaden its supply chain beyond the U.S., she said in a statement: “Where we have products historically made or grown in the U.S. with limited Canadian options, we will look for alternatives from other countries.”

Loblaw is also showcasing products prepared in Canada in its stores, online and in flyers, Thomas said.

Pierre St-Laurent, chief operating officer of Sobeys and Safeway owner Empire Co. Ltd., said customers are asking where products come from, and the grocer is responding with more signage and information to help them make their picks.

The company has lots of flexibility in its supply chain to respond to shifts in availability or price, he said in an interview.

“If a (U.S.) supplier comes to us … with a cost increase because of tariffs, our answer will be no,” he said.

St-Laurent expects Canadian suppliers will adjust their operations to respond to growing demand. But he also thinks as time goes on, U.S. suppliers may have to make some changes.

“Some companies and some suppliers decided to concentrate their production in one country for economic reasons,” he said.

“But right now, the dynamic is changing. If they want to do business in Canada and they want to be competitive, they will have to revisit their manufacturing organization.”

Metro spokeswoman Marie-Claude Bacon said the grocer will “continue to give priority to local Canadian products whenever possible,” and work hard to mitigate any price impact.

Bacon said for many years Metro has prioritized and promoted local products in its stores. But in the coming weeks, the company plans to “optimize the visibility of local products” in-store, online and in flyers, she said in a statement.

Dean said though shoppers are happy to substitute many different foods for an alternative, big brand names like Frito-Lay and PepsiCo are harder to swap out.

“If you look at Frito-Lay, there’s tons of Canadian chip companies that could replace them, but they’re such a monster in the category,” he said.

There’s also confusion among shoppers over what counts as Canadian, he added, as many large multinational companies have manufacturing operations in Canada.

“I own grocery stores, and I’m in the same boat,” he said.

“What counts? Like, if they’re creating Canadian jobs, paying Canadian payroll, using Canadian tomatoes, that’s kind of Canadian.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:MRU)

Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

The wreck of a crashed Delta Air Lines jet has been cleared from a runway at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

The airline says removing the wreckage took several hours on Wednesday.

Delta says it could be weeks before bags from the plane are returned to their owners because of the inspection and cleaning process.

The airline has offered US$30,000 in compensation to passengers who were on the plane, saying the money “has no strings attached.”

All 76 passengers and four crew members survived when Delta Flight 4819 crash landed at Pearson on Monday.

Agencies including the Transportation Safety Board of Canada continue to investigate the crash.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

The Canadian Press

Music producer Bob Ezrin and actors Graham Greene and Patrick Huard are among the latest recipients of Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts.

The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation announced the laureates this morning for its lifetime artistic achievement award.

They include Sandra Laronde, the founding artistic director of the Indigenous performance company Red Sky Performance, and classical composer Denis Gougeon, whose array of works include music for solo instruments, chamber groups, orchestra, ballet and opera.

Ezrin earned the distinction for a lengthy career that included work with Pink Floyd, U2, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, Rod Stewart, Andrea Bocelli, Taylor Swift, Alice Cooper and Nine Inch Nails.

Meanwhile, Greene was lauded for a stage and screen career spanning more than five decades and credits around the world, while Huard was recognized for work as a producer, screenwriter and host, as well as star turns in films including “Les Boys,” and “Bon Cop, Bad Cop.”

The awards celebration is set for June 14 at the National Arts Centre.

Other awards announced Thursday include the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts – going to Halifax-based performance artist and disability advocate April Hubbard – and the National Arts Centre Award for extraordinary work in the past performance year, going to musician and ethnomusicologist Jeremy Dutcher.

The foundation also announced details of its mentorship program, in which past award recipients guide emerging artists in mid-career.

This year, filmmaker Atom Egoyan will help Joshua Odjick of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation write, produce, and direct his first short film.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press

The federal government is going to court to force a Toronto company to sell a $34-million stake in a Calgary-based lithium firm that it bought off a Chinese company.

The government had already deemed the previous Chinese owner’s investment in Lithium Chile Inc. to be harmful to national security, and it says in a Federal Court application that the new buyer has failed to co-operate with efforts to prove it isn’t owned or influenced by China’s government either.

Lithium is a critical mineral used in batteries and clean power. The application says it is at the heart of Canada’s “energy security in the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

The Attorney General of Canada filed the application in Federal Court this month for an order directing Gator Capital Ltd. to dispose of its shares in Lithium Chile, headquartered in Calgary with mining properties in Argentina and Chile.

The government claims that Gator’s owner, Wing Hong Chan, has not replied to any demands for information after it paid $34 million for the 20 per cent stake in Lithium Chile.

“Gator has repeatedly and deliberately failed to provide information in response to multiple requests for information, three ministerial demands, and … repeated attempts to obtain a response from Gator and/or Mr. Chan,” the application says.

It says Gator “has no known corporate presence or business at its registered corporate address or elsewhere in Canada,” and when investigators from Canada’s Investment Review Directorate finally contacted Chan it was on a Hong Kong phone number.

Gator is described as a Toronto-based investment consulting and management company, yet the application says its only apparent physical presence in Canada is a rented mailbox.

The industry minister declared that Gator is not a “Canadian-controlled” entity after it failed to comply with demands for information about its finances, ownership structure and any relationships with foreign governments or state-owned enterprises.

Gator had bought the Lithium Chile stake from Chengze Lithium International Ltd. after Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne ordered the Chinese firm to divest in November 2022, citing national security concerns.

Chengze Lithium’s stake allowed it to nominate two board members and assign technical employees to help develop the firm’s mining lands in Argentina — before the Canadian government ordered it to divest.

The decision to order the divestment was made after “rigorous scrutiny by Canada’s national security and intelligence community,” Champagne said at the time.

Under the Investment Canada Act, the minister can order foreign actors to divest from Canadian businesses if their investments are found to be potentially “injurious to national security”

Chengze Lithium was given 90 days to sell, and one condition of the divestment order was that it couldn’t sell or assign them to a Chinese state-owned enterprise, or a company under the influence of the government of the People’s Republic of China.

Lithium Chile announced in February 2023 that Chengze’s shares had been sold to Gator, with the press release describing Gator as “a Canadian company that focuses on industrial investment; equity investment; asset management and investment consulting.”

When federal officials asked Chengze about Gator, the company said it received an “unsolicited phone call” in December 2022 from Chan, and he agreed a month later to buy Chengze’s stake in Lithium Chile for the same price it paid, even though their market value had dropped “substantially” by then.

The application sets out numerous efforts that federal officials made to contact Chan, whose country of residence is “unknown.”

The share transfer agreement gave a phone number with a California area code, but the call “could not be completed as dialed.”

Lithium Chile only had an email address for Chan’s assistant, and Gator’s incorporation documents list a Toronto mailbox rental service as its corporate address.

Emails to Chan’s assistant received no response, registered mail was returned and two phone numbers on Gator’s incorporation documents listing area codes in California and Alabama were not in service.

The application says when the Investment Review Directorate reached Chan in June 2024, it was via a Hong Kong phone number he submitted in an unrelated matter in 2017.

The application says Chan admitted to receiving the Canadian government’s emails, but he didn’t respond to the demands for information.

The Attorney General is seeking an order for Gator to hand over its shares to a trustee, or alternatively, to hand over information about its investment in Lithium Chile and pay an unspecified penalty for failing to comply with the government’s demands.

Lithium Chile’s chief operating officer Michelle DeCecco said in an interview she was unaware of the court application.

She said the order for Chengze to divest was “frustrating,” because it was a “strategic deal” with the Chinese firm, which is an experienced player in the lithium industry.

She said Lithium Chile didn’t get to choose who took Chengze’s place, and she said Gator’s owner had a Canadian passport, though she wasn’t aware Gator was incorporated at a mailbox.

DeCecco said she was “upset” by the government’s order for Chengze to divest because the critical mineral strategy is about protecting Canadian critical minerals.

“We don’t own Canadian critical minerals. All of our assets are outside of Canada,” she said.

She said Canada doesn’t import much lithium from South America, and she said she floated the idea of doing a deal with the Canadian government after Chengze was ordered to bow out.

DeCecco said she would be on board to work with the federal government to secure lithium, but Canada’s critical mineral strategy involves “potentially telling another country who can own their assets.”

“I don’t think that’s good for trade relationship or for long-term relationships,” she said. “There are different ways that they’re trying to do it, but it’s not securing lithium at the source and that’s the most important place.”

Chan, Gator Capital’s president and sole director, could not be reached for comment. The company is unrelated to Gator Capital Management, a firm based in Florida.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — A new poll suggests that more than a quarter of Canadians — 27 per cent — now see the United States as an “enemy” country, while another 30 per cent still say they consider the U.S. an ally.

Another 27 per cent of respondents to the Leger survey said they consider the United States to be a “neutral” country.

The poll comes as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to impose economically devastating tariffs on Canada and has repeatedly pushed the idea that Canada should become a U.S. state.

The poll was conducted between Feb. 14 and Feb. 17 and surveyed 1,500 Canadians and 1,000 Americans. Because it was conducted online, it can’t be assigned a margin of error.

Sébastien Dallaire, Leger’s executive vice-president for Eastern Canada, said he was surprised “to see Canadians so divided on that front when the United States has been an ally for such a long period, and a strong ally at that.”

He said “enemy” is a “strong word.”

“The responses basically speak to the level of animosity that we feel right now in Canada and that are triggering kind of a broader rally-around-the-flag effect in all aspects of our lives,” Dallaire said.

Only one per cent of Americans told Leger they consider Canada an enemy country, while 56 per cent said they view Canada as an ally.

An overwhelming majority of Canadians dislike Trump; 74 per cent of respondents said they have an unfavourable view of the U.S. president. Dallaire said it’s “hard to get more consensual results when you ask a question like this.”

Seven per cent said they didn’t know enough about Trump to offer an opinion, while only 13 per cent overall said they had a favourable opinion of him.

That number is higher among Conservative party supporters; 27 per cent of them said they have a favourable view of Trump, compared to only five and seven per cent of Liberal and NDP supporters, respectively.

Conservatives were also more likely to have a positive view of the United States — 48 per cent of Conservative supporters surveyed described it as an ally, while only 18 per cent called it an enemy state.

Just 20 per cent of Liberals and 21 per cent of NDP supporters said the U.S. was an ally, while 37 per cent of Liberal supporters and 34 per cent of New Democrats said it was an enemy. Nearly half of Bloc Québécois voters — 47 per cent — said the United States is an enemy country.

“There is a partisan difference in terms of how people feel about this,” Dallaire said. “It’s clearly a pretty big gap between Conservative supporters and Liberal, NDP and Bloc supporters.”

The polling industry’s professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2024.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press

BOSTON — Sports and politics will collide tonight in Boston as archrivals Canada and the United States compete in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

What might have been initially conceived as an exhibition international hockey tournament in advance of the NHL’s return to Olympic competition in 2026 has turned into a must-watch event on both sides of the border due to political tension between the formerly friendly nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has stoked resentment in Canada by threatening sweeping tariffs on Canadian products and repeatedly suggesting the U.S. should absorb Canada as a state.

Canadian sports fans have responded by booing the U.S. anthem at several sporting events, including the Americans’ 3-1 win over Canada on Saturday in Montreal in the round-robin portion of the competition. That game featured three fights in the first nine seconds, setting the tone for what is sure to be a physical rematch.

Now in Boston, Canada reached the final with a 5-3 win over Finland on Monday. A smattering of boos greeted O Canada before the matinee at TD Garden, but a louder response is expected in the final.

U.S. general manager Bill Guerin added to the already charged atmosphere on Tuesday when he suggested that Trump should attend the game.

“We have a room full of proud American players and coaches and staff. Listen, we’re just trying to represent our country the best way we can,” he said, adding that his players are using the political fire “as an inspiration.”

Sweden is the other team at the tournament, which is the first international competition featuring the NHL’s biggest stars since the 2016 World Cup in Toronto.

The NHL has committed to allowing its players to participate at the 2026 Milan and Cortina Olympics in Italy after sitting out the last two Winter Olympics.

Canada defeated Sweden 3-0 in the gold-medal game at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, which is the most recent to feature NHL players.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

The Canadian Press

TORONTO — As more than one million mortgages come up for renewal in Canada this year, a new survey says the majority of those homeowners expect to pay more in their monthly borrowing costs.

A Royal LePage survey released Thursday, conducted by Hill & Knowlton, said 57 per cent of Canadians set to renew a mortgage on their primary residence this year expect their monthly payment to increase.

That includes 22 per cent who expect it to rise “significantly” and 35 per cent who think their payment will go up “slightly.” One-quarter said their monthly mortgage payment will remain about the same and 15 per cent expect it to decrease upon renewal.

Royal LePage said 1.2 million mortgages are up for renewal in 2025. Around 85 per cent of those were secured when the Bank of Canada’s key policy rate sunk to historically low levels — at or below one per cent — during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re now five years from when those mortgages first became available so we’re getting those rolling over,” said Royal LePage president and CEO Phil Soper in an interview.

“While rates have been coming down rapidly, they’re still well above what those super low pandemic mortgages were and people are concerned.”

Among those who expect their monthly payment to rise, 81 per cent said the increase would put financial strain on their household. Many of those said they will reduce discretionary spending such as on restaurants and entertainment, or cut back on travel to help cope with the increased costs.

Meanwhile, 10 per cent of respondents said they are considering downsizing, relocating to a more affordable region or renting out a portion of their home in response to higher borrowing costs.

Soper said a potential trade war with the U.S., and the harm the Canadian economy could endure from President Donald Trump’s threat of 25 per cent tariffs, is adding to Canadian homeowners’ anxiety.

However, he said the Bank of Canada could loosen monetary policy in response to tariffs in order to ease the burden on the economy.

“We’ll see rates dropping, and we potentially could see unemployment picking up,” he said.

“We could see GDP trending downward, and at the same time because our industry is so rate sensitive, all that pent-up demand we have from the post-pandemic market correction … could be unleashed based on very low borrowing costs.”

While most households with pending renewals plan to maintain the same type of mortgage product they have, the report said more Canadians are exploring the option of signing variable-rate mortgages.

Around two-thirds of respondents with a mortgage renewing this year said they plan to obtain a fixed-rate loan upon renewal, down from the three-quarters who currently have fixed-rate mortgages. Around 29 per cent said they will choose a variable-rate loan, up from the 24 per cent who currently have variable-rate mortgages.

Around 37 per cent of all respondents said they plan to go with a five-year mortgage term upon renewal, while 19 per cent intend to sign on to a three-year term.

Soper said Canadians tend to gravitate toward five-year fixed-rate mortgages, but that option “doesn’t always make sense.”

“If you’re in a period of clearly declining interest rates, as we have been for about a year now, it really doesn’t make a lot of logical sense to lock in for the longer term,” he said.

Last fall, Canada’s national banking regulator announced it would no longer require borrowers with uninsured mortgages to undergo a stress test when switching providers, as long as the amortization schedule and loan amount remain unchanged.

While a six-month variable-rate mortgage might be more expensive in the short-term, Soper said some households might believe that option will be more affordable down the road, since they could be able to lock in a lower interest rate in the future.

“You have got to be able to afford the shorter-term variable-rate mortgage, but if you can, it’s just making a lot of sense,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press

Tim Houston is heading back to the United States.

The Premier’s office says Houston will be traveling to Washington this week to continue the fight against American tariffs.

Houston is expected to attend the National Governors Association winter meeting to discuss the benefits of current trade relations with the U.S.

This visit follows last week’s trip, during which all 13 premiers traveled to Washington to meet with business and political leaders.

The provincial budget, unveiled earlier this week, includes $200 million set aside to help respond if tariffs are imposed.

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani separatist group claimed responsibility on Thursday for the killing of seven bus passengers in an attack earlier this week, saying the victims were affiliated with the military and intelligence services.

The attack occurred late Tuesday night when ethnic Baloch militants armed with guns intercepted several passenger buses on a highway in southwestern Pakistan.

The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army group said in a statement its fighters attacked the buses and killed the men in Rakhni, a town in Balochistan province.

But local authorities dismissed the claim, saying the slain individuals were civilians with no ties to security forces.

Though BLA mainly operates in Balochistan, it has also targeted Chinese nationals working on multi-billion-dollar projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Last year, BLA killed dozens of people in three separate attacks on vehicles in Balochistan, which has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in Pakistan. BLA wants independence from the central government in Islamabad.

Although Pakistan says it has quelled the insurgency, violence in Balochistan has persisted.

Pakistan is also conducting operations in the former strongholds of the Pakistani Taliban in the restive northwest.

Authorities are also expected to soon carry out a major operation in Kurram, a district in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where militants have repeatedly attacked aid trucks and killed security forces and drivers.

At least 130 people died in recent months in clashes between rival Shiite and Sunni tribes in Kurram. A key road leading to Kurram has been closed since October, causing a shortage of food and medicines.

Shiite Muslims dominate parts of Kurram, but they are a minority in the rest of Sunni-majority Pakistan.

Kurram has a history of sectarian conflict. Authorities hope the planned operation in Kurram would result in the reopening of roads and normalization of life in the region, where helicopters are currently being used to transport medicines and aid trucks carrying food and vegetables are sent amid tight security.

The Associated Press

People at a rally in Halifax demanded more provincial funding and support for victims of gender-based violence after six Nova Scotia women were killed by intimate partners in recent months, including 22-year-old Paiyton Pick whose body was found last month.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed an order aimed at ending federal benefits for people in the country illegally, the White House said Wednesday, his latest in a blizzard of moves to crack down on immigration.

The White House said the order seeks to end “all taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens,” but it was not clear which benefits will be targeted. People in the country illegally generally do not qualify except for emergency medical care. Children are entitled to a free K-12 public education regardless of immigration status under a 1982 Supreme Court ruling.

The order notes that a 1996 welfare overhaul denies most public benefits to people in the country illegally but says that law has been gradually undermined. “Over the last 4 years, in particular, the prior administration repeatedly undercut the goals of that law, resulting in the improper expenditure of significant taxpayer resources.”

Trump’s words appear directed at former President Joe Biden’s extensive use of parole authority to allow people in the country temporarily, including more than 900,000 through an online appointment app called CBP One used at border crossings with Mexico and more than 500,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who flew to the U.S. at their own expense with a financial sponsor. Trump immediately ended both programs.

Biden also granted parole to nearly 300,000 people from Ukraine and Afghanistan.

People granted parole for at least a year are considered “qualified non-citizens,” making them eligible for some income-based benefits, but only after five years. They include Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Some states have shortened the five-year wait.

Trump’s order appears to have other targets, some already subjects of earlier edicts and Justice Department lawsuits. It directs all departments and agencies to identify federal benefit spending that is inconsistent with the 1996 welfare law. It also seeks to ensure that state and local governments are not using federal funds for policies that support “sanctuary” policies or encourage illegal immigration.

Trump signed 10 executive orders on immigration on his first day in office. They included ending automatic citizenship for people born in the United States and asylum at the southern border. The birthright citizenship order has been temporarily halted in court.

Elliot Spagat, The Associated Press

Delta Air Lines has confirmed they have offered all 76 passengers on flight 4819 that crash-landed on the runway at Pearson Airport US$30,000 in compensation.

The airline said the gesture has “no strings attached and does not affect rights.”

All 76 passengers and four crew members survived Monday afternoon’s crash landing when the plane hit the tarmac and then tipped over, creating a fireball as its wing scraped along the ground before it rolled over and came to a stop in a cloud of smoke.

Video posted to social media showed emergency crews dousing the plane as passengers climbed out of emergency exits and onto the snow-swept tarmac.

In an update on Wednesday, the airline said 20 of the 21 passengers injured and sent to local hospitals had been released.

A Toronto law firm specializing in aviation cases confirmed they had been retained by two Canadian passengers. The firm also represents family members of passengers who were on the Ukraine International Airlines flight shot down over Tehran in 2020. 

Vincent Genova, a partner at Rochon Genova, said both clients in the Delta crash had suffered injuries, including one who he said went back to the hospital Wednesday over a possible head injury when the seatbelts released. Genova said he was also working with an American firm retained by U.S. clients. 

“We’re probably going to start our own investigation to determine if there are any other parties that should be involved in potential litigation moving forward,” he said in an interview. 

Maintenance teams began removing the aircraft from the runway late Wednesday. The Transportation Safety Board confirmed efforts have begun to remove the aircraft and it will be moved to a hangar where it will undergo further examination.

With files from The Canadian Press

Nova Scotia is extending the amount of time a person can take off work, with pay, if they’re experiencing domestic violence.

The Houston government has introduced amendments to a 2016 piece of legislation, ushering in a new University Board Governance Act that could radically change the way universities operate in the province.

The post Nova Scotia universities to become ‘more accountable’ says Premier Tim Houston appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

SASKATOON, Sask. — Nutrien Ltd. says it earned US$118 million in its fourth quarter, down 33 per cent from US$176 million a year earlier.

The Saskatoon-based company says its sales totalled US$5.1 billion, down from US$5.7 billion during the same quarter in 2023.

Diluted earnings per share were 23 cents US, down from 35 cents US a year earlier.

Nutrien says the lower earnings were mainly due to lower prices and sales volumes of potash.

Earnings for the full financial year were down 45 per cent to US$700 million, while sales were down 11 per cent at US$30.0 billion.

Nutrien president and CEO Ken Seitz says the company expects strong crop input demand and firming fundamentals in the potash sector in 2025.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025.

Companies in this story: (TSX:NTR)

The Canadian Press

PANAMA CITY (AP) — One of nearly 300 deportees from various nations sent from the United States to Panama to await repatriation to their countries escaped from a hotel where they were being held in the capital, Panamanian authorities said Wednesday.

Panama’s National Immigration Service said in a statement that a Chinese woman received assistance in breaking out from people loitering around the hotel. It said it asked the alleged collaborators to return the woman, warning that they could face human trafficking or migrant smuggling charges.

On Tuesday, some of the 299 migrants detained at the hotel, under police guard and barred from leaving, held up notes from their windows reading things like “please help us” and “We are not safe in our country.”

The deportees, primarily from Asian countries, are in a sort of limbo in Panama after the Central American nation agreed to serve as a transit point for migrants who are hard for the Trump administration to deport directly to their countries.

Around 40% of the deportees have said they would not voluntarily return to their countries of origin, raising questions about how long they would be detained in the hotel. The situation has fueled sharp criticism of the Panamanian government, despite its claims, disputed by evidence, that the migrants are not detained.

Security Minister Frank Abrego said on Tuesday that 171 of the migrants have agreed to return to their countries of origin, although he did not provide a specific timeline. He also noted that an Irish citizen had already been repatriated.

The remaining migrants would be sent to a temporary migration facility near the Darien Gap, a heavily forested region along the Colombian border, until it’s clear where they will be sent. The region has historically been used by migrants from Venezuela and other countries to travel north to the U.S.

____

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Associated Press, The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Agriculture Department is scrambling to rehire several workers who were involved in the government’s response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak that has devastated egg and poultry farms over the past three years.

The workers were among the thousands of federal employees eliminated on the recommendations of billionaire Elon Musk ‘s Department of Government Efficiency that is working to carry out Trump’s promise to streamline and reshape the federal government.

Republican Rep. Don Bacon said the administration should be more careful in how it carries out the cuts.

“While President Trump is fulfilling his promise to shed light on waste, fraud, and abuse in government, DOGE needs to measure twice and cut once. Downsizing decisions must be narrowly tailored to preserve critical missions,” said Bacon, who represents a swing district in Nebraska.

The bird flu outbreak has prompted the slaughter of roughly 160 million birds to help control the virus since the outbreak began in 2022. Most of the birds killed were egg-laying chickens, so that has driven egg prices up to a record high of $4.95 per dozen on average. The federal government has spent nearly $2 billion on the response, including nearly $1.2 billion in payments to farmers to compensate them for their lost birds.

A USDA spokesperson said the department “continues to prioritize the response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)” and several key jobs like veterinarians, animal health technicians and other emergency response personnel involved in the effort were protected from the cuts. But some employees of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service were eliminated.

“Although several APHIS positions supporting HPAI were notified of their terminations over the weekend, we are working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters,” the department spokesperson said.

Politico and NBC News reported that the jobs that were eliminated were part of an office that helps over see the national network of labs USDA relies on to confirm cases of bird flu and other animal diseases. It wasn’t immediately clear how many workers the department might be trying to rehire and whether any of them worked at the main USDA lab in Ames, Iowa.

Trump administration officials said this week that the USDA might change its approach to the bird flu outbreak, so that maybe entire flocks wouldn’t have to be slaughtered when the disease is found, but they have yet to offer many details of their plan.

Josh Funk, The Associated Press

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Malian filmmaker Souleymane Cissé, a pioneer of African cinema with a career spanning 50 years, has died at age 84, Malian television announced Wednesday.

The cause of Cissé’s death was not announced. The Malian government said Cissé “had just held a press conference to present two trophies as a prelude to the 29th edition of Fespaco, the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), which will open this next weekend in the capital of Burkina Faso.”

Cissé was the first Black African filmmaker to win a feature film prize at Cannes. He also won awards, including the Jury Prize at Cannes in 1987 for his film ‘Yeelen’ (The Light), and in 2023, he won the Carrosse d’or at the Cannes Film Festival in France for his film ‘Finye’ (The Wind).

Cissé is also a two-time winner of the Étalon d’or de Yennenga, the Grand Prize of the Ouagadougou Pan-African Film and Television Festival.

Born in Bamako, Mali, Cissé studied in Mali, Senegal and Moscow, Russia. He was President of the Union of Creators and Entrepreneurs of Cinema and Audiovisuals of West Africa.

Tributes poured in for Cisse, whose trailblazing work on the silver screen across more than half a century was marked by a commitment to African storytelling, deep humanism and political engagement.

“Papa died today in Bamako. We are all in shock. He dedicated all his life to his country, to cinema and to art,” Mariam Cisse said.

Baba Ahmed, The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Top United Nations officials in Africa warned an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that the offensive of Rwanda-backed rebels in mineral-rich eastern Congo is threatening peace in the wider region.

“It is imperative that this council takes urgent and decisive steps to avert a wider regional war,” said Bintou Keita, U.N. special envoy for Congo.

The seizure of major cities in eastern Congo by the M23 rebel group in recent weeks and statements by key parties show that “the risk of a regional conflagration is more real today than ever before,” said Huang Xia, U.N. special envoy for Africa’s Great Lakes region, which includes Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.

France’s U.N. Ambassador Nicolas De Riviere urged the council to quickly adopt a draft resolution circulated by his country two weeks ago that reaffirms support for Congo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, urges an end to the M23 offensive and the withdrawal of Rwandan troops, and calls for the urgent resumption of talks.

“The risk of a regional war is increasing each day,” he said.

The M23 is the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control of eastern Congo’s trillions of dollars in mineral wealth. The region is rich in gold and coltan, a key mineral used in consumer electronics like laptops and smartphones.

The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts, and at times have vowed to march as far as Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, over 1,000 miles away.

In a lightning three-week offensive, the M23 took control of eastern Congo’s main city Goma and seized the second largest city, Bukavu, on Sunday.

Keita, who also heads the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, told the Security Council that since then, the M23 has kept advancing, seizing the town of Kamanyola at the intersection of three borders — Congo, Rwanda and Burundi.

At this stage, the U.N. doesn’t know the M23 agenda, the intention of its backers or how far they will go and why, said Huang, the Great Lakes U.N. envoy.

“This situation must stop before we see the triggering of a widespread regional war, the consequences of which would be devastating” and undermine efforts over the past decade to bring stability to the central Africa region, Huang said.

The U.N. Human Rights Council this month launched a commission that will investigate atrocities, including allegations of rapes and killings akin to “summary executions” by both sides.

Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press

The only daily TV news package to focus on Nova Scotians and their stories

Advanced Education Minister Brendan Maguire says legislative changes introduced Wednesday are meant to ensure the sustainability of the university sector.

The Houston government is removing tolls from the Halifax harbour bridges on April 1. Watch Amy Smith's interview with the bridge commission's Steve Proctor on what is being done to prepare.

TFI International Inc. says it earned US$88.1 million dollars in its fourth quarter, down from US$131.4 million a year earlier.

The company says revenues were US$2.1 billion, up from US$2.0 billion during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Earnings per diluted share were US$1.03, down from US$1.53.

TFI says the higher revenue came primarily from acquisitions, and was offset by reduced volumes driven by weaker end-market demand.

It says total revenue for the truckload segment increased 64 per cent due primarily to its acquisition of Daseke.

Earnings for the full financial year declined to US$422.5 million, while revenues rose to US$8.4 billion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TFII)

The Canadian Press

A boomer hit man is given a nightmare final assignment to train his own Gen Z replacement in Simon West’s lifeless action-comedy “Old Guy.”

Christoph Waltz’s Danny Dolinski is the one at an unwelcome crossroads in the film. He’s only partially healed from a hand injury that’s rendered him dependent on pills and unable to aim a gun as well as he used to. Dolinski also seems to be in the throes of a full crisis: We meet him not on the job, or even in flashback to his pre-injury glory, but out clubbing. The next morning, Dolinski emerges in a bathrobe to gaze proudly upon the several much younger women who have spent the night.

But a room full of scantily clothed model-types who seem to be there willingly is only a temporary balm for poor Dolinski. While he might still be a viable specimen for the 20-something party girls of London, his game does not hold the same appeal in the workplace. Soon he’ll be getting the dreaded “we’re going younger” talk from his boss, and she’s talking about him, not his love interests. This is a guy who is certain he’s got a lot left to give in the assassin game, and not as a mentor to a “hitman prodigy,” as Cooper Hoffman’s character Wihlborg is described.

Is a familiar conceit like the wise veteran and the cocksure newcomer tired or a classic? Well, it’s all in the execution. And “Old Guy,” stylishly filmed though it may be, is not one of the better attempts, likely hampered by the script from Greg Johnson. Generational clashes should be easy enough comedic fodder for a screenwriter and two capable actors, but here it lands with a thud. One likes to drink! The other doesn’t even like to be around alcohol! The more serious ethical questions about hitman etiquette are similarly inelegant. Take this gem from Wihlborg: “Where I come from one does what one needs to do to survive. That includes killing a kid.”

Hoffman, so perfect leading “Licorice Pizza,” is not served well by this script, which never quite justifies why he’s such a prodigy at such a young age and doesn’t give him or Waltz any room to play off one another in a natural way. Waltz also can’t seem to choose a lane with Danny, an eccentric hedonist with a soul who doesn’t think it’s necessary to kill kids on the job. He’s also working with his normal accent which is all well and good until the movie very unnecessarily introduces his Irish mother.

And because action movies of this variety need a woman, Lucy Liu, who deserves much, much better than this (they all do, but mostly her), goes along for the ride. Her character Anata is the glamorous manager of a Soho karaoke bar that might also be a front for a brothel, but that’s never really explored. What is deemed important here is that she’s Dolinski’s longtime confidante, and tags along on their mission to Belfast for…wait for it…a date. It’s a very strange little subplot in which Anata does go to this date only to be broken up with. The guy she’s been seeing is not connected to the larger plot in any way, except as the narrative push to have her ultimately fall in Dolinski’s arms.

West is an action and studio system veteran behind “Con Air,” “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” and various Jason Statham vehicles. There’s lots of shoot-em-up action and bullets to the head for anyone looking for that, but not much more to hang on to. “Old Guy” feels very of this moment in the fact that it looks good and has a good cast and yet can’t seem to deliver something that’s either entertaining or meaningful. But unlike so many of its peers, this one amazingly was not made by a streamer.

“Old Guy,” a The Avenue release in limited theaters and on VOD Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “language, violence, some drug use.” Running time: 93 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press

A Pictou County, N.S., man has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing his three children in a case that dates back decades. Douglas Guthro Sr. admitted to his crimes in Nova Scotia Supreme Court at a hearing Wednesday in Pictou.

A 65-year-old lobster dealer from southwest Nova Scotia accused of multiple counts of intimidation has been released from custody pending trial following a hearing Wednesday in provincial court.

Nova Scotia’s government has announced an increase to paid days for domestic violence leave.

Starting on April 1, paid domestic violence leave will go from three days to five.

“Domestic violence affects too many Nova Scotians,” said labour minister Nolan Young. “By extending paid leave, we are helping employees seek the support they need without the added concern of lost income.”

Government says the decision was made with input from community partners including advocacy groups and aligns with recommendations from the Mass Casualty Commission, the Desmond Fatality Inquiry and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Cape Breton Regional Municipality is looking to modernize its record management to reduce the amount of physical space needed for storage of paper documents and to streamline access to digital files and make them secure.

Nova Scotia's government is flexing its supermajority by giving itself the legislative muscle to make changes that impact how government is held accountable. Michael Gorman and Jean Laroche explain why.

An overwhelming majority of Proline bettors see Canada earning redemption in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament final.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., 87 per cent of bettors have their money on Canada defeating the United States on Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston. The Americans defeated the Canadians 3-1 on Saturday night in Montreal.

A solid 74 per cent of wagers are on the over 5.5 goals with Canada’s Connor McDavid being the most popular player prop over 0.5 goals. The most popular game score bet is 4-3 for the Canadians.

Canada qualified for the final with a 5-3 victory Monday versus Finland. Eighty-six per cent of wagers were on the Canadian win with 91 per cent of bettors taking the Canadians -1.5 on the puck line.

Canada opened the tournament with a 4-3 overtime win over Sweden as Mitch Marner scored the winning goal. A solid 82 per cent of wagers were on the Canadians winning but only 10 per cent of bettors had the Swedes +.1.5 on the puck line.

Eighty-three per cent of players correctly selected over 6.5 total goals in the game.

But just 43 per cent of players took the U.S. to beat Canada in their first meeting. Only 21 per cent correctly picked the Americans +1.5 on the puck-line with just 28 per cent selecting the under 6.5 total goals.

On Sunday, the NBA’s all-star weekend festivities in San Francisco featured four teams playing a mini tournament. Shaq’s OGs defeated Chuck’s Global Stars 41-25 in the final as Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors was the game MVP with 12 points.

Forty-three per cent of bettors correctly picked Shaq’s OGs to win the tournament, with Curry being the second-most popular wagered player to win MVP honours. The only other player who had more MVP wagers was Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had four points for Chuck’s Global Stars in the final.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025.

The Canadian Press