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'Comfort kills dreams': Family says soldier killed in base fire was living his dream
Family says soldier killed in fire lived his dream
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Canadian Armed Forces (Mandatory credit)
The mother of one of the four Canadian soldiers killed in a fire at a military base in Alberta says his lifelong goal was to join the Forces and wear his uniform with pride.
Patricia Farrell says her 23-year-old son Pte. Shaun Farrell overcame any obstacle that was put in his way.
His family moved to Prince Albert, Sask., from South Africa when he was a teen.
Farrell was diagnosed with dyslexia and Asperger's syndrome, but his mother says he consistently refused to let labels or low expectations define him.
Military officials have said a grass fire broke out Saturday on a grenade range at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton, in a permanent danger area, which prevented firefighters from putting it out early on.
The fire was being monitored when, in the afternoon, strong winds quickly carried flames to an area where roughly 84 soldiers were training, killing four and injuring dozens more.
Officials say 27 remain in hospital, including 13 in critical condition.
Farrell’s mother told reporters Thursday that her son was loving, and she has received beautiful messages from "his fellow brothers in the military."
"They said that Shaun was their partner … and he never left any of them behind," Patricia Farrell said. "He was always there supporting them and encouraging."
The other soldiers killed in the fire were: Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, of North Vancouver; Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, of Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, of Edmonton.
She said she remembers her son when he was five years old saying, "When I grow up, I’m going to be an army man."
His personal motto was “comfort kills dreams,” the family said, adding he had the phrase tattooed on his side.
"He knew it wasn’t always comfortable for him as a person for him to achieve his dreams," she said.
"He had to get out of his comfort zone, struggling with his personal disabilities."
Patricia Farrell said the support pouring in from people in Prince Albert and across the country has been "overwhelming."
The family now is simply trying to process the loss, she said.
"I’m just wondering what my future is going to be like without him in our lives and without him being around."
A family spokesperson says funeral arrangements are being finalized and his body will be brought back to Saskatchewan by week's end.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
— By Daniela Germano in Edmonton
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Canada Post CEO touts hints of recovery even as financial woes persist
Canada Post CEO touts hints of financial recovery
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The head of Canada Post says it is showing “early signs” of financial recovery despite falling revenue and bigger losses in the first half of the year.
CEO Doug Ettinger says the postal service is winning back some of the parcel delivery market that has slipped away since 2019 as it continues with shipping discounts for small businesses and pushes a new online marketplace for them to sell products directly to consumers.
However, he says Canada Post remains “overbuilt” in cities and must be smaller in those urban areas in the future.
Switching the remaining four million addresses that still enjoy doorstep delivery to community mailboxes within about five years marks a key pillar of Canada Post’s plan to overhaul its business model in the face of declining letter mail and mounting financial losses.
The Crown corporation is launching an online tool Thursday that lets customers with door-to-door delivery enter their postal code to see when their area is slated for conversion to a community mailbox, with the first in more than 10 years completed a few days ago in Winnipeg and Sept-Îles, Que.
In August, Canada Post reported losses of $277 million before taxes for the second quarter of the year, marking an improvement from the $407 million in pre-tax losses a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Canada Pension Plan payments for October are going out soon and max amounts are over $1,500
You can expect a direct deposit or cheque.
Roman Romaniuk | Dreamstime
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments for October will be issued to eligible individuals soon.
The maximum amounts are more than $1,500, and the average amounts are more than $850!
Service Canada administers this federal benefit through direct deposits and paper cheques.
If you're eligible for the government payment, you can expect to receive money near the end of the month.
Here's what you need to know about CPP, including eligibility, payment amounts, the October payment date, and more.
What is the Canada Pension Plan?
CPP is a monthly retirement pension that's meant to replace part of your income when you retire.
It's a taxable benefit that can also include disability, children's and survivor benefits.
If you qualify for this retirement pension, you'll receive CPP payments for the rest of your life.
Who is eligible for the Canada Pension Plan?
To be eligible to receive CPP, you must:
- be at least 60 years old
- have made at least one valid contribution to the CPP
A valid contribution can be from work you did in Canada or from credits received from a spouse/common-law partner after a divorce or separation.
If you're eligible, you won't automatically get CPP payments. You must apply online through your My Service Canada Account or by mail with a paper form.
The standard age to start CPP is 65, but you can start as early as age 60 or as late as age 70.
Service Canada said starting earlier means smaller monthly payments, and starting later means bigger monthly payments. But there is no benefit to waiting until after age 70 because the maximum monthly amount is reached once you turn 70.
If you apply after age 65, you can request a retroactive start date, which could be as early as 11 months before your application is received, but no earlier than the month after your 65th birthday.
How much money can you get from Canada Pension Plan payments?
The amount of money you get from the pension depends on the age you start receiving it, how much you contributed to the CPP, how long you contributed to the CPP, and your earnings throughout your working life.
The maximum CPP payment amount for 2026 is $1,507.65 per month.
In October, the average CPP payment for new beneficiaries at age 65 is $858.34 per month.
Your retirement pension won't be reduced even if you're still working while receiving CPP.
When is the next Canada Pension Plan payment date?
The next CPP payment date is Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
How do you receive Canada Pension Plan payments?
Service Canada issues CPP payments via direct deposit or cheque.
Your payment will be deposited into your bank account if you have direct deposit set up with Service Canada.
If you don't have direct deposit as your preferred payment method, your CPP payment will be mailed as a paper cheque during the last three business days of the month.
Payments are issued on the scheduled dates each month, but can take a few days to arrive. Since cheques are sent by mail, it can take longer than with direct deposit for you to get money.
You can sign up for direct deposit with Service Canada at any time.
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