THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
An advisory group that's supporting a federal review of firearms classification — including a look at the SKS rifle — is expected to hold its first meeting this fall, almost a year after Ottawa announced the review.
Public Safety Canada says members of the Firearms Classification Technical Advisory Group, appointed to provide expert advice to the department and the RCMP, will meet later this fall.
The Liberal government has faced fresh questions about the SKS after a document filed in a U.S. court said Jesse Van Rootselaar, the killer in the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., mass shooting, talked about having one.
The SKS is commonly used in Indigenous communities to hunt for food, and it has also been used in police killings and other high-profile shootings.
---
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, centre, applauds with Parti Québécois elected members following a swearing in ceremony at the legislature in Quebec City, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Quebec premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon to be sworn in and unveil cabinet
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is set to be sworn in as Quebec's 34th premier.
He will also unveil his cabinet, officially bringing the Parti Québécois back to power after more than a decade.
The sovereigntist party won 59 seats in the Oct. 5 provincial election, falling short of the 64 needed for a majority government.
The party’s elected representatives were sworn in last week and took an oath of allegiance to the people of Quebec rather than the King — a requirement dropped in 2022 when St-Pierre Plamondon refused to take the oath.
---
This composite of handout images shows Canadian Armed Forces members, left to right, Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding and Sgt. Morgan Wong, who died during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Facebook, Nadine Dunford; Patricia Farrell; Wylder Goulding; Canadian Armed Forces (Mandatory Credit)
'Hurting': Vigil in Wainwright, Alta., for soldiers caught in deadly fire
A group of churches in Wainwright are organizing a vigil tonight, four days after the deadly fire on the nearby Alberta military base.
Four men were killed in the fire and 33 soldiers remain in hospital.
Residents have been handling the grief with a military-inspired resolve, but Ryan Wood, lead pastor at Church of the Nazarene, says people are looking for a way to come together.
Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh says the vigil may not close the book for many involved in the tragedy, but hopes it may at least close a painful chapter.
---
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith arrives to speak during a news conference in Calgary, Alta., Friday, May 22, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to take questions for first time since separation vote
Premier Danielle Smith will take questions today for the first time since Albertans overwhelmingly rejected separating from Canada in Monday's referendum.
Smith said she voted to stay in Canada and had little choice but to call the referendum to quash a burgeoning and divisive debate over Alberta's role in Confederation.
About three-quarters of voters marked an X to say yes to staying in Canada rather than holding a second, binding referendum on leaving.
In a provincewide TV address Tuesday, Smith said she now considers separation to be a dead issue in Alberta and there will be no more such votes as long as she is premier.
---
A recent paper by the Quebec English-speaking Communities Research Network, which operates out of Concordia University in Montreal, shows that young English-speaking adults are more likely to leave Quebec. The CHU de Quebec, Université Laval, Hotel Dieu de Quebec hospital top right, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 in Quebec City.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Young anglophones are still leaving Quebec, but at much lower rates, find researchers
Two researchers from the Quebec English-speaking Communities Research Network have found the number of English-speaking Quebecers leaving the province has slowed down in recent years.
In research going back several decades, they identified many reasons that push young anglophones to leave the province and confirmed that the French language is a factor.
Meanwhile, the study shows that francophones are less likely to leave.
Simon-Pierre Lacasse, one of the authors of the paper, says that the exodus of English-speaking Quebecers was especially strong in the 1970s and 1980s, but has slowed down since then.
He says research appears to show that young English-speaking Quebecers are getting better integrated into the province's culture.
---
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
People Are Roasting The New Apple Mac Pro Made In Austin
So apparently Apple is listening to the fans by giving us what we want. They are releasing a newly, re-designed Mac Pro right out of Austin, and it's super exciting. Austin, Texas is a huge tech hub now, so to have bragging rights on an Apple product is even cooler. But while many would simply nod their heads to this news and move on, others want a say in this. Reddit users have taken to their platform to give their two cents on what they want Texans to contribute, and it's making for some hilarious reactions.
Texas is a pretty easy state to make fun of. Even people who live here find jokes about one of the most prideful states in the world hilarious. That, or they make them themselves. Reddit is probably one of the greatest platforms to roast anything going viral at the moment. So when news broke yesterday that the new Mac Pro would be manufactured in Austin, Reddit users wasted no time.
[rebelmouse-image 25949330 photo_credit="Screen Grab | Reddit" expand=1 original_size="750x187"]
BBQ and bullets are just two of the notable mentions in the comments on one particular thread. After the iPhone 11 underwent scrutiny for the way the cameras looked, you'd think the Mac Pro would be getting made fun of for it's appearance as well. But no, the fact that it's being made in Texas is funny all on its own.
[rebelmouse-image 25949331 photo_credit="Screen Grab | Reddit" expand=1 original_size="750x168"]
The company is making big moves with this decision, and we can't wait to see what they continue to come out with. For now, scrolling through Reddit and even other social media platforms where jokes about Texas can be found is the move. What's that Spongebob episode again?
[rebelmouse-image 25949332 photo_credit="Screen Grab | Reddit" expand=1 original_size="750x425"]
There are stories everywhere! If you spot a newsworthy event in your city, send us a message, photo, or video @NarcityUSA on Facebook and Instagram.