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During a visit to Ottawa on Monday, Smith defended her new suite of policies on transgender youth, despite accusations from the federal Liberals that she is promoting an anti-LGBTQ agenda. Smith announced last week that her United Conservative Party government would prohibit puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children aged 15 and under who have not already started those treatments.

Her government intends to require parental consent before allowing children aged 15 and under to use a different name or pronoun at school. Teenagers aged 16 and 17 could make such changes without permission, but schools would be required to notify their guardians.

The policies have sparked several days of protests.

At an event commemorating the opening of a new provincial office near Parliament Hill, Smith stated that there is no "single voice" that can speak on behalf of the entire transgender population. She said she spoke with some transgender people who were concerned about their children's ability to transition. Smith defended the package of proposals as part of a "thoughtful approach" she intends to take toward children with diverse gender identities. The goal is to ensure that children are "fully informed" about their decisions in case they regret them later in life, she said.

Earlier in the day, Liberal Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault said he had requested a meeting with Smith to discuss the proposed changes. Boissonnault, Alberta's only Liberal cabinet minister and an openly gay man claimed Smith is imposing "draconian" measures on the province's most vulnerable young people. After some back and forth between their respective offices, the two were scheduled to meet on Monday afternoon. The federal government's ability to request a Supreme Court reference on provinces' use of the notwithstanding clause is an "important legal tool," according to Boissonnault.

When asked about Smith's policy at a news conference on Monday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre responded: "Let parents raise children and provinces run schools and hospitals." He did not specifically respond to Smith's proposals. His comments come after his office instructed MPs last week to "refrain" from commenting on Alberta's specific measures and to "flag" any media requests they receive to the office. In Toronto, Ontario Premier Doug Ford indicated that his government would not follow Alberta's lead in limiting the availability of surgeries and treatments for transgender youth.

Meanwhile, local advocates in Ottawa were planning an "emergency" protest downtown later Monday in response to Smith's visit to the capital. According to a news release, Smith's Alberta government office in Ottawa aims to advance the province's priorities and strengthen federal-provincial ties. It stated that the office would "help strengthen relationships with governments in Ottawa and across Canada while increasing the province's advocacy on matters of importance to Albertans." Smith was also scheduled to deliver a luncheon speech to members of the Economic Club of Canada.

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On Monday, a prolonged snowstorm dumped more than 80 centimetres of snow across the province, while winds whipped up much higher drifts. Forecasters say it isn't over yet.

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Kathleen Ganley, a former Alberta justice minister and three-term Calgary MLA, officially launched her bid to become the next leader of Alberta's New Democrats on Monday, becoming the first candidate to replace departing leader Rachel Notley. Notley announced in mid-January that she would resign as party leader as soon as the members chose her successor. The leadership contest, which began today, requires candidates to register by March 15. Ganley told reporters at the Telus Convention Centre in downtown Calgary on Monday that her campaign would focus on delivering a message about the NDP's economic strategy, among other things.

When asked if she was interested in starting talks about the future of the provincial NDP's relationship with the federal NDP, Ganley said she was willing to have that conversation with members.

Political observers anticipated Ganley's leadership bid. Before Notley resigned, Ganley posted a 55-second leadership-style video on X, formerly known as Twitter, discussing her upbringing in northwest Calgary and her awareness of the various challenges that Albertans face.

Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, one of Ganley's distinguishing features is his strategy of being first.

Though the party has a strong base of support in Edmonton, Young believes that expanding support in Calgary will be a top priority for the NDP in the upcoming provincial election. The big question mark moving forward is whether former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi will enter the race, which would alter the race's trajectory.

In the previous election, the Alberta NDP regained seats in Calgary after being nearly eliminated in 2019.

Ganley's former cabinet minister Sarah Hoffman and second-term MLA Rakhi Pancholi are also expected to run to replace Notley, as are Edmonton MLAs David Shepherd and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse.

According to Young, one of the big questions moving forward will be who can challenge Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

To vote in the race, members must purchase or renew their membership by April 22. The race will have a $500,000 spending limit per leadership contestant and a $60,000 entry fee. The final day to vote in the leadership race will be June 22 at noon.

In the 2023 Alberta election, the United Conservative Party received 52.6% of the vote to the NDP's 44%.

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When Kinder Morgan first announced its plans to expand the capacity of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline from 300,000 bpd to 890,000 bpd, it probably thought it was another major project. Several years later, the company had given up on the project and sold it to the Canadian federal government for less than $4 billion. For a long time, it seemed like Trans Mountain would never be completed, plagued by opposition and regulatory snags.

Despite all this, it seems the pipeline is about to go into operation this year. And U.S. refiners used to buying cheap Canadian oil might need to reach deeper into their pockets to keep buying it. The idea behind the Trans Mountain expansion was to turn Canada into a true oil exporter, reaching international markets rather than just the U.S. market, massive as it is. One reason this took so long was that the government of the province that was to host most of the pipeline was dead against it.

The John Horgan government was very environmentally minded. It would rather have Alberta stop all oil flows to British Columbia than endure the construction of the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline. That set back the project by months, and so did environmental protests against the pipeline.

Amid all this, the discount at which Canadian crude normally trades to WTI has deepened and hardened. Canadian oil was going to the United States—all the way to the Gulf Coast—and only from there could it reach international markets. It was a complicated situation. Then, when Kinder Morgan had enough and sold the project, the Trans Mountain expansion got a new lease of life—ironically, from a federal government that has made no secret of its distaste towards the oil industry. And it paid for that distaste. From an original $3.4 billion price tag, the Trans Mountain expansion bill swelled to over $23 billion. Inflation and supply chain problems were among the reasons for the sixfold increase in the cost of the project, as were construction challenges due to the geology along the route of the pipe. Oil producers have not exactly welcomed the cost overruns—there were suspicions that to make up for these, Trans Mountain Corporation would charge them higher fees for carrying their crude.

Nonetheless, producers began ramping up production ahead of the launch. Canadian Natural Resources announced plans to increase output by 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2024. Cenovus Energy also announced plans to increase investment in production growth. Oil producers are preparing for the 890,000 bpd capacity. Prices have also responded. Following the announcement that Trans Mountain Corporation will begin filling the expanded pipeline in February, with the first crude loading from Vancouver in April, Canadian crude prices rose to their narrowest discount to WTI since August 2023. The current discount is approximately $16 per barrel.

Just a month later, the same CER ordered TMC to halt pipeline construction due to non-compliance with environmental and safety standards. A month later, the regulator decided that TMC could not proceed with the route change due to opposition from the Indigenous community through whose land the section would pass. By December, however, the CER had changed its mind and granted TMC the necessary permit to continue construction on the pipeline.

These types of setbacks have made it difficult to believe that the Trans Mountain pipeline will ever be operational, but it appears that it may be. This means more expensive oil for US refiners. They are about to face some international competition for Canadian crude.

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The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is putting up over $600,000 towards numerous tourism-related developments on the province’s west coast. The city of Corner Brook will receive the bulk of the upgrades, with funding set aside to look at expanding the port to keep up with the growing cruise industry. The Stream Development Corporation will use its funds to make Trailways more accessible for those with mobility issues. The rest of the funding will be spread out throughout the Gros Morne region to enhance infrastructure and recreation opportunities. A six-kilometer, all-season multi-use trail for the National Park is also in the works.

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Real estate brokerage Zoocasa has released its list of the most expensive homes sold in Ontario for January, and it includes a massive property in Whitby. The list of most expensive and most affordable homes also includes a waterfront residence in Cobourg with 112 feet of owned shoreline, a Toronto custom-built home with a four-stop elevator, and the estate home in Whitby with a sauna, wine cellar, six bathrooms, 34 parking spots, and a wet bar, according to Zoocasa's content marketing specialist, Mackenzie Scibetta. The Whitby home at 960 Columbus Rd. W., listed by Keller Williams Energy Real Estate, was on sale for $4,799,900.

It sold on Jan. 24 for $4.6 million. The property is located in the Coronation Gardens neighborhood, with the closest intersection being Columbus Road West and Country Lane.

With 8,854 square feet of living space, a four-car garage, and sprawling entertainment areas, including an in-ground pool, "this property is an entertainer’s dream," according to the listing.

The home is situated on a 9.65-acre lot with "picturesque landscapes and greenspace" and offers a "prestigious retreat" just minutes from Highway 407 and Highway 412, the listing reads. Zoocasa revealed the benchmark price for Ontario dropped for the sixth consecutive month in December, falling to $851,000, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. Zoocasa says the Ontario real estate market is beginning to heat up with its diverse range of properties.

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A brief hearing for five former players on Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team was held Monday morning in London, Ont., via video link, with their lawyers appearing on their behalf and April 30 set as their next court appearance. None of the five players--Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Dillon Dubé of the Calgary Flames, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, and former NHLer Alex Formenton--appeared on the video link.

But lawyers for all five were told to expect "substantial" disclosure of case information, including audio and video evidence, to be delivered to them on a hard drive by courier sometime Monday or Tuesday. The lawyers were also informed of a publication ban, requested by Crown Attorney Heather Donkers, on any information that could identify a woman who is a complainant in the case, as well as two witnesses. All five players are charged with one count of sexual assault, while McLeod is also charged with one count of being party to the offense. Their lawyers have said they plan to plead not guilty. It is alleged the incident occurred following a Hockey Canada gala in London in June 2018, when the players were honored for their victory at the World Junior Hockey Championship.

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Céline Dion stepped out at the 2024 Grammy Awards amid her ongoing health issues. The pop icon, 55, made a rare public appearance at the 66th annual Grammys by stepping out to present the final award of the night. Dion graced the stage at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to present album of the year--an award she first won 27 years ago. The five-time Grammy winner, who was diagnosed with the rare and incurable neurological disorder stiff person syndrome (SPS) in 2022, was greeted by a standing ovation from the star-filled crowd.

Dion has been a favorite among the recording academy for decades. The Canadian star is a five-time Grammy winner--taking home her first Grammy in 1992--and a 16-time total nominee. Dion's appearance at the awards ceremony saw her stepping out in public for the first time since she attended a hockey game in Las Vegas between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadiens last year in November. The sporting event marked her first public appearance in three and a half years.

Although it was a rare sighting for the music legend, she took the opportunity to perform. The "My Heart Will Go On" singer first revealed to fans that she had been with diagnosed a rare neurological disease that can cause debilitating muscle spasms in late 2022. At the time, she shared what she had been going through in a moving video posted to Instagram in late 2022, in which she explained the condition and that it meant she would have to postpone her tour dates.

According to the Stiff Person Syndrome Foundation, the condition affects the central nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord. "Patients can be disabled, wheelchair-bound, or bed-ridden, unable to work and care for themselves," they say, adding that the neurological disease with autoimmune features can include symptoms like "hyper-rigidity, debilitating pain, chronic anxiety," and muscle spasms "so violent they can dislocate joints and even break bones." As the songstress had to make the tough decision in May 2023 to cancel tour dates for the foreseeable future, she has since revealed that she'll be sharing an intimate documentary with fans about her recent challenges. The project titled I Am: Céline Dion will be directed by Oscar-nominated documentarian Irene Taylor and released sometime on Amazon Prime Video later this year.

In September, the superstar's sister, Claudette, shared an update about her sister's health in an interview with Hello! Canada. “She’s doing everything to recover,” she told the outlet. “She’s a strong woman.”

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The provincial government will not reinstate two outstanding protections on the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve (DRAP), the Pickering News Advertiser has learned. The DRAP in Pickering was one of the 15 parcels of land the Ontario government announced it was carving out of the Greenbelt in 2022 to make way for housing. Last September, Ford reversed his decision and announced all protections would be reinstated.

But so far, only the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Act and Greenbelt protections have been returned. The Central Pickering Development Plan (CPDP) and the minister’s zoning order, O. Reg. 154/03, have not. The CPDP establishes a comprehensive vision for central Pickering: a sustainable urban community in Seaton integrated with a thriving agricultural community in the DRAP, as well as an extensive natural heritage system.

The MZO is a zoning regulation that limits land uses and every erection, location, and use of buildings or structures on the DRAP to agriculture and conservation uses. Stop Sprawl Durham is urging the Conservative government to fulfill its promise by fully reinstating the DRAP protections.

Alexandru Cioban, spokesperson for the minister of municipal affairs and housing, said in an email that through the Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023, the province restored all areas of land removed from or redesignated within the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine areas.

Concerning the DRAP, the government is not reinstating the CPDP or the MZO as part of the legislation “as both are now redundant.”

He said because municipalities are required to conform to the Greenbelt Plan in their decisions on land-use planning matters, which include zoning bylaws, the MZO would not be required to ensure these lands are zoned for agricultural and related uses.

But stop sprawling. Durham is concerned that when the next Greenbelt review takes place in 2025, the missing protections could make the DRAP vulnerable to development.

In December, Stop Sprawl Durham co-leads Abdullah Mir and Helen Brenner met with Pickering-Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy, asking him to advocate on behalf of Pickering residents to fully restore the DRAP to its original state, specifically to have all four prior protections returned. They said Bethlenfalvy advised he would take their feedback to MPP Paul Calandra, minister of municipal affairs and housing. Despite numerous requests for an interview, Bethlenfalvy provided a statement instead.

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The City of Prince George's has partnered with Downtown Prince George's to develop a strategy focused on invigorating the downtown. Downtown Prince George will now be leading a team to oversee the overall strategy, with the Prince George's Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Prince George, and the City as team members. As specific goals and initiatives are developed, the team will seek input and involvement from various organizations in the community.

This team will coordinate and lead the implementation of the strategy and seek partnerships, grants, and other support to achieve the goals. The strategy will be discussed as part of the city council's agenda for Monday night's meeting.

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El Niño conditions are bringing problems to Vancouver Island food suppliers as they weather drier and warmer conditions. At the beginning of winter 2023, Kate Fraser, owner of Bees Please Farms, had 135 colonies. To her, a successful season would be one in which 100 colonies survived by the end of the season.

Following the recent cold snap, some of her bees died, which was expected. However, with a string of record-breaking warm temperatures, new issues have risen.

The bees, which should normally be able to survive several months inside their hives, have begun to fly out in search of food due to the warmer, spring-like temperatures. Fraser, who is also a secretary for the BC Honey Producers’ Association, rents out several hives to businesses in Greater Victoria. While flowers are blooming in the downtown area, on her Metchosin farm, it’s difficult for the bees to find nectar and pollen.

Her bees are searching for food that doesn’t exist yet, and every second they fly, they’re reducing their lifespan. With dozens of colonies at risk of dying off earlier than expected, honey production is at risk.

El Niño conditions have not only created bare ski hills and flooding; they've also raised concerns about droughts throughout this year.

Warmer conditions are welcome for Fox, he says, as it helps with early crop production. But with the potential for drought-like conditions, he’s getting his irrigation systems prepared.

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The B.C. NDP has canceled a fundraiser planned for Sunday night in Surrey in light of the growing calls for Minister Selina Robinson to resign.

Robinson is under fire for comments she made during an online discussion on Jan. 30, where she said Israel was founded on “a crappy piece of land with nothing on it.” The two-hour discussion was hosted by B’nai B’rith Canada and posted on YouTube. She also said “regular people” should not be weighing on a conflict between two “Indigenous nations” comparing the conflict between Jews and Palestinians to a fight between the Tsleil-Waututh and the Squamish First Nations over land.

Leaders from more than a dozen B.C. mosques and Islamic associations have written to Premier David Eby, urging him to remove Robinson from her role as post-secondary education minister. They said no B.C. NDP MLA or candidate for the next election is welcome in their sacred spaces until the premier takes “restitutive action that acknowledges the deep hurt in our communities.”

The faith leaders have joined Palestinian-Canadians, the Independent Jewish Voices Canada, Indigenous leaders, and a federal NDP MP who have called on Robinson to be booted from cabinet. A protest group plans to be outside the B.C. NDP caucus retreat in Surrey on Monday to present an 11,000-signature petition calling for Robinson’s ouster. Hamish Telford, a political scientist at the University of the Fraser Valley, said the B.C. NDP’s decision to cancel the fundraiser is a clear indication that public outrage is reverberating.

Robinson has apologized for her remarks, which she acknowledged were “disrespectful.” She said she was referring to the fact that the land has limited natural resources, but “I understand that this flippant comment has caused pain and that it diminishes the connection Palestinians also have to the land.” Eby said Friday that Robinson’s comments “crossed a line” and stoked divisions in communities.

Eby would not say if Robinson offered to resign or if he contemplated firing her but said she “has work to do” in repairing the damage her remarks caused.

Telford said Eby’s strong criticism of Robinson was an attempt to “convey the gravity of the situation to the community in hopes that that would sort of assuage some of the concerns, that he took it seriously and sort of condemned her without letting her go. But that might not be enough.”

Telford believes Robinson’s interference with the employment of a Langara College instructor is a more serious issue than her comments on the Israel-Hamas war. The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of B.C. and the Canadian Association of University Teachers released a letter Thursday calling for Robinson to be removed from her role overseeing post-secondary education, following comments she made about the firing by Langara College of instructor Natalie Knight. At a speech at a pro-Palestinian rally in October in Vancouver, Knight referred to the Hamas attack in Israel that killed 1,400 Israelis, including children, as “the amazing, brilliant offensive waged on Oct. 7.” Knight went on leave but was quietly reinstated following an internal investigation.

Knight was subsequently dismissed after Robinson met with Langara's leadership to express her concerns. Robinson said on social media that she was “disappointed that this instructor continues to have a public post-secondary platform to spew hatred and vitriol.” Telford said with the provincial election set for October, the B.C. NDP wants to keep the focus on the upcoming throne speech and budget on Feb. 22.

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People in Nova Scotia are digging out after a historic multi-day storm slammed much of the province, impacting travel across the region and prompting Cape Breton Regional Municipality to declare a local state of emergency. CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said the airport in Sydney, N.S., had received more than 90 centimeters of snow by Monday morning, while downtown Sydney was pummeled with 150 centimeters. Officials are asking residents to stay off the roads. Cape Breton Regional Police Const. Gary Fraser said the force received more than 550 calls for service over the weekend, including 30 car accidents and "many, many, many stranded motorists and abandoned vehicles."

CBRM Mayor Amanda McDougall said the seven-day state of emergency gives the municipality the authority to control or prohibit travel and to authorize qualified persons to provide aid. She said Monday would be a "telling day" in the cleanup effort, and she's worried about buildings that may have structural issues.

Guy Deveau, executive director of maintenance and operations with the provincial Department of Public Works, said crews were seeing "meters of snow" being blown around, and some equipment was breaking.

The situation was snowier and windier as you moved east in the province, he said. The department was moving crews and equipment into eastern parts of the province Monday to ramp up snow removal.

Deveau said while the 100-series highways were technically passable Monday morning, officials were recommending people stay home.

RCMP closed Highway 102 North in Goffs on Monday morning after a tractor-trailer jackknifed across all lanes of the highway. The highway reopened later in the morning. Fire crews were also busy battling a structure fire in Sydney on Monday morning, said Fraser.

Snoddon said many in the province were calling to mind a February 2004 storm dubbed by locals as "White Juan," a nor'easter blizzard that dropped more than 100 centimeters of snow on some areas of Atlantic Canada--five months after Hurricane Juan caused widespread damage in the Maritimes.

He said, depending on final official numbers, this may be the largest multi-day snowfall event for the Sydney area since Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, 1992, when 102 centimeters fell at Sydney Airport.

Leah Batstone, a spokesperson for Halifax Stanfield International Airport, said blowing snow has been the big issue grounding flights. She said 70 flights were canceled over the weekend, but flight departures and arrivals were expected to ramp back up on Monday.

More than 7,000 Nova Scotia Power customers were without power Monday morning, from Lunenburg to Cape Breton. All Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education and Strait Regional Centre for Education schools and worksites were closed on Monday. Halifax Regional Centre for Education also closed all of its schools, while Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial, the province's French school board, closed some of its schools. In Halifax, police said there were 12 motor vehicle collisions over the weekend, and 196 tickets were issued about the winter parking ban. The parking ban will continue to be enforced between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

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An Oshawa man who was reported missing last week has been found dead, say Durham police. According to police, Dylan, 27, was found dead on Feb. 1 near Adelaide Avenue West and Gibbons Street in Oshawa. A post-mortem was conducted early Sunday morning, and it confirmed the deceased was the missing man, say police.

There is no indication of foul play; add police. In a Feb. 1 news release, Durham police said Dylan was last seen at his home near Elgin Court in Oshawa. Anyone with further information about Dylan is asked to contact Det.-Const. Dowdle at 905-579-1520, extension 2765.

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Property taxes are going up by more than nine percent in Brandon. This news comes after Brandon City Council debated and then passed its 2024 budget on Saturday.

Under the new budget, the tax rate is increasing by 9.4 percent, which is down from a previously cited 10 percent spike. CTV News Winnipeg previously reported that Brandon City Council is grappling with a long-term funding crunch amid aging infrastructure and a history of low tax rates.

Other aspects of Brandon’s 2024 budget include additional police officers, an upgraded water treatment plant, and a new ice plant at the Brandon Community Sportsplex. It also includes new buses, the creation of a doctor recruitment program, and additional paramedics.

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Heavy snowfall is expected in parts of southern Alberta this weekend. Snow, heavy at times, is expected in parts of southern Alberta beginning Saturday afternoon and is expected to last until Sunday morning. According to Environment Canada, 10 to 20 centimeters of snow are expected to fall, with the heaviest accumulations south of a line from Canmore to Okotoks to Bassano. Visibility may be reduced at times in heavy snow.

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The terms "federal penitentiary" and "family-friendly neighborhood" aren't usually used in conjunction with one another. But this is exactly what happened in Dorchester when a 19th-century prison brought with it several houses meant for the guards and their families.

One man who has a special connection with the homes is historical educator James Upham, a regular contributor to Information Morning Moncton's roadside history series.

According to Correctional Services Canada, Dorchester Penitentiary was opened in 1880 on land that was bought from Edward Barron Chandler, a former lieutenant-governor and one of the Fathers of Confederation.

The prison was once a maximum-security facility but now houses medium- and minimum-security inmates. At the time it was built, it was seen as a formidable structure for the largely agricultural region.

Of course, it's not just enough to have a facility to place inmates; you also need guards and other support staff to operate the prison. And while it's called the Dorchester Penitentiary, it's a bit of a hike from Dorchester proper. So to house the guards, prisoners were made to build several homes for the guards and their families.

According to D.P. Duffy, who wrote a history of the prison for CSC in 1961, inmates built 30 wooden tenements for guards between 1883 and 1900. But these wooden structures were all demolished by 1969. Nine double and single brick tenements were built between 1920 and 1930, and four brick houses were built in the 1950s. These are the structures that remain.

In many ways, the existence of the guard families was a contradiction. They lived in beautiful homes in a picturesque valley, all the while living next door to convicted murderers, rapists, and thieves.

Of course, having a prison nearby means escapes can and do happen. The latest one was just last year, when convicted murderer Robert Hilroy Legge "walked away" from the prison, only to be apprehended shortly afterward.