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‘Political hit men’: Emails detail anger over RCMP handling of border protests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

There were complaints that Mounties were not doing enough at the Canada-U. S. border-crossing in Coutts, Alta., when protests erupted over COVID-19 pandemic policies. There were others saying the same police force was doing too much and betraying the country. Almost 260 pages of emails detailing complaints made to the watchdog agency that investigates Mounties show many people were angry with the police response to trucker protests that blocked Alberta’s main border crossing for more than two weeks in early 2022.   “The RCMP have become nothing more than political hit men ‘just doing their job’ and will watch democracy crumble before them in the name of ‘public health,'” said a complaint to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP in February 2022.Partially redacted documents obtained under freedom of information laws include many of the complaints received by the commission during the protest in the community of about 245 people. The ...

Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, set to testify in foreign interference probe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

OTTAWA — A committee tasked with studying alleged foreign interference in Canada’s last two elections is set to hear from the prime minister’s chief of staff today. Katie Telford is scheduled to be a witness at the procedure and House affairs committee this afternoon, to talk about what she knows about Chinese meddling in the 2019 and 2021 elections. Previous witnesses in recent months — including the head of Canada’s spy agency and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly — have revealed little, citing national security laws that limit what they can say. The Conservatives have been working to get Telford to answer questions for weeks, with MP Michael Cooper saying calling her the second most powerful person in the Liberal government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s had many conversations with Telford about foreign interference over many years, because it’s an issue that needs to be taken seriously.Trudeau has appointed David Johnston as a special ...

Supreme Court to rule on Quebec law banning homegrown cannabis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada is set to rule today on whether Quebec’s ban on growing cannabis plants at home is constitutional.The ruling is in a case first brought before the courts in 2019 by Janick Murray-Hall.Murray-Hall’s lawyer argued that Quebec’s ban on owning and cultivating plants for personal use is unconstitutional and contradicts the federal cannabis law enacted in 2018.The federal law allows people to grow or own up to four cannabis plants at home, but the Quebec government banned growing for personal use, with fines running between $250 and $750.Quebec Superior Court sided with Murray-Hall and found the law to be unconstitutional. But the province successfully appealed to the Quebec Court of Appeal, and now the final word lies with the country’s highest court. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2023.The Canadian Press

Daily horoscope for April 14, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Aquarius.Happy Birthday for Friday, April 14, 2023:You have excellent communication skills and a talent for dealing with people. You love variety and change, and yet you crave stability. This year is about teaching, learning and reflection. Explore philosophies, life beliefs, business systems and anything that helps you get closer to the true meaning of your life.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★It’s the end of the wee, and it’s totally appropriate to take it easy. Nevertheless, keep an eye on your money and possessions, because something unexpected could impact them. You might have a quarrel related to money or your assets. You might find money; you might lose money. Tonight: Patience.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★People notice you today; however, this might not be a good thing. You might attract confrontations, quarrels and challenges. Do your best to keep a low profile and not attrac...

Pope could have died when hospitalised last month, he told Italian man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

Pope Francis was unconscious when he was rushed to hospital two weeks ago with bronchitis, and could have died, according to an Italian man widely reported to speak to him regularly, who said he last talked to the pontiff on Saturday.The 86-year-old pontiff was taken to Rome's Gemelli hospital on 29 March and discharged three days later. He appeared in good health as he led Easter celebrations all last week.Michele Ferri, from the central Italian city of Pesaro, said the pope sounded better in their most recent conversation than he had the last time the two men spoke in January."He seemed very tired (back then)," Ferri said.Ferri confirmed remarks he had made earlier to Italian regional newspaper Il Resto del Carlino, in which he quoted the pope as having told him: "A few more hours and I'm not sure I would have been around to tell it.""I told him: you really gave us a fright!" Ferri said.Ferri is widely quoted in Italian media as someone who speaks to the pope regularly, since Fran...

Miss Manners: Is it OK to walk ahead of one’s wife if she’s carrying things?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When my husband and I go somewhere together, he does not walk with me.He gets out of the car and heads to our destination while I am still getting out of the vehicle. He walks very far ahead of me, does not help me carry things and leaves me to lock up the car. This also leaves me to open doors myself with full hands.He feels that since we have been married for 26 years, he does not need to “date” me any longer and that I can handle things myself.Of course I can handle things myself, but I got married to have a partner to walk through life beside me.Please tell me, should a husband accompany his wife from the car to the destination?Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: She was the one with the bad meal, but I think I should get compensated Advice | Miss Manners: Everybody noticed when we walked out of this terrible concert Advice | Miss Manners: He walked out of our first date after just minutes. Was I in the...

Placemaker looks to bring people together

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

Ryan Sebastian had been a transportation planner for about four years before he and his wife started to venture into the street food scene.The couple was expecting their first child and naively, Sebastian notes, thought starting a food truck would give them more flexibility in their schedules. Since then, the San Jose-based entrepreneur has made a name for himself as a placemaker in Silicon Valley’s capital city.His creative food-based ventures range from karaoke ice cream truck Treatbot to the Taco Festival of Innovation to Moveable Feast, which is a network of local food trucks.Q: What’s been your journey since starting your first food truck?A: We started Treatbot, the karaoke ice cream truck, back in 2010. We started doing events and that’s where Moveable Feast came from. You can either choose to do something really focused or you can try to do something wide scale. I think in any regard you have to aim high and think of what are your ultimate goals. One of the things...

France awaits constitutional ruling on higher retirement age

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

PARIS (AP) — An elite French institution was expected to rule Friday on whether President Emmanuel Macron’s contested plan to raise the retirement age is constitutional, a decision that could calm or further enrage opponents of the change.All eyes were on the heavily guarded Constitutional Council, which can nix all or parts of a complex pension reform plan that Macron pushed through without a vote by the lower house of parliament. Spontaneous demonstrations were likely around France ahead of the nine-member court’s ruling. The president’s drive to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 has provoked months of labor strikes and protests. Violence by pockets of ultra-left radicals marked the 12 otherwise peaceful nationwide marches that unions organized since January.In addition to ruling on the pension reforms, the Constitutional Council also will decide on a request by lawmakers who oppose the plan to use a little-used and lengthy process that could ultimately lead to a ref...

Former Md. Gov. Hogan, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson among others to speak at American U.’s commencement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

Students graduating from American University’s Class of 2023 will get the opportunity to hear from “an unparalleled roster” of speakers at its graduation commencement ceremonies in May.In honoring the university’s 60-year anniversary of former President John F. Kennedy’s landmark “A Strategy of Peace” speech, the school announced speakers who have “deep ties” to the area and are cultural and political leaders of our time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by American University (@americanuniversity)On May 12, the university’s schools of communication and education will hear from Ted Leonsis, the owner of several local professional sports teams and the founder of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. On the same day, students from the university’s School of International Service will hear from Alice Albright, CEO of the foreign aid agency Millennium Challenge Corporation.On May 13, students from the ...

China defense minister to meet Russian counterpart in Moscow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:49 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu will visit Russia next week for meetings with counterpart Sergei Shoigu and other military officials, China’s Defense Ministry said Friday. Li’s visit underscores China’s strengthening engagement with Russia, with which it has largely aligned its foreign policy in an attempt to reshape the world order to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies. China has refused to criticize Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and blamed the U.S. and NATO for provoking Moscow. During a 2022 visit to Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued a joint statement declaring a “no limits” relationship between the two countries. Li will also visit Russia’s military academy during his April 16-19 trip, Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said.The trip follows an official visit to Moscow last month by Xi that emphasized how China is increasingly becoming the senior partner in ...