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2 RCMP officers charged after N.W.T. man died in police custody in 2025
2 RCMP officers charged in man's 2025 death
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
The RCMP says it has laid charges against two of its own officers after a man from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, died in their custody last year.
The Alberta RCMP, which led the investigation into the man's death, says the two Yellowknife officers face charges of criminal negligence causing death and failing to provide the necessities of life.
The charges stem from an incident in March 2025, police say, when the two officers responded to a report of a disturbance at a Yellowknife business.
When the officers arrived, the RCMP says they detained a man who was showing signs of intoxication and left him inside a police vehicle while they gathered more information at the scene.
Police say the officers returned to the car and found the man, 56-year-old Lawrence Blackduck, unresponsive.
He was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene, the RCMP says, after life-saving measures were attempted and paramedics were called.
The RCMP did not give further details about the officers' alleged conduct which gave rise to the charges.
The national police service says it conducted an internal review in the aftermath of the incident and it has since made changes to police policy and training related to in-vehicle detentions.
Chief Superintendent Dyson Smith of the Northwest Territories RCMP extended his condolences to Blackduck's family and community and called the incident "deeply troubling."
"“This is a difficult day for our organization and the communities we serve. We recognize the seriousness of this incident and remain committed to transparency, accountability and maintaining public trust and confidence," Smith wrote in a statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Alberta referendum expected to bring finality, but also more questions on separation
Questions to remain after Alberta separation vote
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
On Monday, Albertans vote on whether to stay in Canada or hold another binding referendum on quitting Canada.
If the vote goes as polls suggest, a majority of Albertans will mark an X to stay in Confederation, and Premier Danielle Smith has said if that’s so, she expects everyone to accept it and move on. Leaders of the independence movement contest that.
And political watchers are divided about whether separation — previously a fringe sentiment — will now be a prominent, permanent feature of Alberta’s political landscape, as in Quebec.
Julian Castro-Rea, a political-science professor at the University of Alberta who studies the separation debates in Quebec and Alberta, believes as long as Alberta feels alienated from the Canadian capital — feeling that Ottawa benefits from Alberta's resource economy without giving back — the movement will have fuel.
"Even if the referendum is lost, the westernization will still be around, because it's kind of a way which, traditionally, Albertans have related to the rest of Canada," says Castro-Rea, who believes western alienation may remain indefinitely.
Alberta's independence movement has been compared to Brexit and separation in Scotland, but the most obvious comparator is Quebec.
Earlier this month, Quebec elected a minority government led by the Parti Québécois, which has promised to call a third independence referendum to leave Canada, following votes in 1980 and 1995.
Experts say the two provinces differ in their catalysts for secession. Quebec and its francophone culture have developed over centuries. Alberta, by comparison, was created alongside Saskatchewan out of the division of the Northwest Territories in 1905.
Alberta's separatists are driven by western alienation rather than a deep-seated nationalist sentiment, like Quebec, experts say. That means it's difficult to see how the long-term future of the movement could pan out.
"They have different identity, different history, different language, as you know, and therefore they can claim, kind of, this historical legitimacy as the basis for their attempts for separation," Castro-Rea says.
Separatist sentiment has been sprinkled into Alberta's saucepan for the past half-century before coming to a boil in recent years. Premier Smith, who has voted to stay in Canada, has repeatedly criticized former prime minister Justin Trudeau's policies as oppressive to Western Canada's sovereignty and its energy-driven economy.
That criticism has softened against current Prime Minister Mark Carney, who referred to Alberta's bid for secession as a "dangerous bluff" on Thursday night. He also said a decisive result would "settle this question."
Andrew McDougall, an associate political science professor at the University of Toronto, says he sees Alberta's referendum as a way to garner political leverage with Ottawa, as Quebec has.
"This has sometimes been referred to in Quebec as the 'knife at the throat strategy,' where Quebec could sort of push its agenda because we've had that incredible threat of a referendum," he says.
But former UCP premier Jason Kenney, speaking in Edmonton earlier this week, said the knife analogy cuts both ways.
"The idea of making the threat by holding a knife to the throat of the federation is how you end up as a have-not province, like Quebec, instead of the ultimate have province like Alberta," he said.
"You want to talk about a lack of investor confidence? The next year, moving towards an actual vote on separation when the first one is won — the economic consequences would be catastrophic."
Political science professor Graeme Young says to understand Alberta’s future, one could look at Scotland.
Young, at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, grew up in Ontario and kept interest in Alberta's prospective separation from afar as Scotland bolsters another push to leave the United Kingdom.
He says he doesn't expect Alberta's separatist campaign will last. He believes the movement could deflate with a different federal political party in power. And he says it can’t draw from the same wellspring of national identity as exists in Scotland.
Young says Scotland's 2014 campaign was, in large part, defeated by uncertainty about the economics of independence, including pensions, currency, finances and its role in the European Union.
And while Scotland has been preparing for more than a decade for another run at independence, Alberta's movement is underprepared, Young says.
"(Alberta's case) has been put together quite hastily," he says. "It does not seem that they have invested as much time and energy into that case as one would expect for setting up a new country."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2026.
— With files from Lisa Johnson in Edmonton and The Associated Press
By Dayne Patterson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Separation, immigration, the Constitution: A look at Alberta's referendum questions
A look at the 10 Alberta referendum questions
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Here are the 10 questions Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is sending to a provincewide referendum on Monday.
Question 1: Do you support the government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?
What you need to know: Smith has said she wants to see Alberta have a similar accord as Quebec, which has an agreement with Ottawa that lets the province set its own eligibility requirements for economic migrants.
She said in February that a "normal" and "sustainable" level of immigration would represent less than one per cent of the population, or about 50,000 newcomers per year. But critics say Smith has failed to plan for the population growth it invited with a countrywide ad campaign in recent years.
Question 2: Do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta-approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially funded programs, such as health care, education and other social services?
What you need to know: The premier has blamed overburdened public services on rapid population growth in the past five years.
The government's website claims temporary residents cost the province more than $1 billion in health care, education and social services. Critics say those numbers don't add up and that the government is ignoring the economic contributions and benefits they bring to Alberta.
The specific effect of a yes vote is unclear, since the government says it won't define "Alberta-approved immigration status" until after the referendum.
Question 3: Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now, do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law requiring all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially funded social support programs?
What you need to know: The government says it won't determine which programs would be affected until after the referendum, should Albertans vote yes.
Temporary workers are already ineligible for some provincial programs, such as Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, and the Canadian Bar Association's provincial chapter says this could run afoul of the Canada Health Act or the Charter's equality provisions.
Question 4: Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for public health care and education as they do now, do you support the government of Alberta charging a reasonable fee or premium to individuals with a non-permanent immigration status living in Alberta for their and their family's use of the health care and education systems?
What you need to know: A potential new charge wouldn't be determined by the government until after the vote, though the premier told Calgary business leaders on Sept. 22 that a health premium could be as much as $1,900.
Education leaders in the province have come out against restricting access to schooling, saying it goes against internationally agreed children's rights.
Question 5: Do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, or citizenship card, to vote in an Alberta provincial election?
What you need to know: Voting is already restricted to Canadian citizens, and both Elections Canada and Elections Alberta have reported very few cases of ineligible voting.
Smith has said it's about strengthening the integrity of provincial elections. Critics say this policy would only make lineups at the polls more time-consuming and open the door to racial or ethnic bias at the voting booth.
Question 6: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to have provincial governments, and not the federal government, select the justices appointed to provincial King's Bench and Appeal courts?
What you need to know: If approved by voters, this proposal would only commit Alberta's government to working with other provinces and federal lawmakers to make changes to the Constitution.
Changes generally need approval from seven provincial legislatures covering 50 per cent of Canada's population, as well as from the House of Commons and Senate in Ottawa.
Question 7: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate?
What you need to know: Abolishing the Senate would be even more difficult than other general constitutional amendments. It would need to be unanimously approved by all provinces and ratified by the Senate and the House of Commons.
Question 8: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to allow provinces to opt out of federal programs that intrude on provincial jurisdiction such as health care, education and social services, without a province losing any of the associated federal funding for use in its social programs?
What you need to know: The federal "spending power" authority allows Ottawa to attach conditions to its funding for provinces, with health-care funding under the Canada Health Act as a key example.
A permanent provincial "opt-out" clause would require the Constitution to be amended.
Question 9: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to better protect provincial rights from federal interference by giving a province's laws dealing with provincial or shared areas of constitutional jurisdiction priority over federal laws when the province's laws and federal laws conflict?
What you need to know: Under the Constitution, federal laws are given standing over provincial laws when jurisdictional issues arise.
This change to the Constitution would require approval from the Senate, the House of Commons and seven provinces representing at least half the country's population.
Question 10: Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?
What you need to know: Advocates for separation say the province needs to get out from under federal taxation and regulation, freeing up wealth and sparking economic development. Federalists say the split would only hurt businesses and saddle landlocked Alberta with debt and the massive cost of delivering formerly federal services.
Smith has framed her other nine other questions on immigration and constitutional reform as a political compromise that could address Alberta's grievances, gain leverage with Ottawa and avoid dismantling the country.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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8 livres québécois de finance faciles à comprendre que tu DOIS lire dans ta vingtaine
Pleins d'astuces pour devenir riche? On ne dit jamais non.
L'adage « l'argent ne fait pas le bonheur » est peut-être vrai, mais ça peut certainement faciliter la vie. Si tu cherches à mieux organiser tes finances et à comprendre tous les rouages de ce domaine qui peut être assez complexe, sache qu'il existe de multiples ouvrages qui te permettent de mieux gérer ton portefeuille.
Les experts et expertes financier.ères du Québec ont mis la main à la pâte pour t'offrir leurs meilleurs conseils côté budget. Investissement, immobilier, retraite, épargne, compte bancaire et minimalisme, avec tout ça, tu pourrais peut-être bien faire fortune et t'offrir la vie dont tu as toujours rêvé, qui sait? Voici donc huit livres d'auteurs et d'autrices québécois.es qui te permettront de mieux atteindre tes objectifs financiers.
La facture amoureuse
Prix : 26,95 $
Auteurs : Pierre-Yves McSween et Paul-Antoine Jetté
Quoi savoir sur le livre : Les finances à deux, ça peut rapidement devenir compliqué. Eh oui, le sujet de l'argent peut même devenir un déclencheur de disputes au sein d'un couple et même de rupture. Dans ce livre paru en 2022, les experts financiers Pierre-Yves McSween et Paul-Antoine Jetté se penchent, avec un certain cynisme, sur les enjeux entourant les finances conjugales. Cela peut t'aider à comprendre mieux comment planifier tes investissements et organiser ton portefeuille familial lorsque tu es en couple. Suite à ta lecture, tu auras plusieurs pistes de réflexions et options à regarder par la suite avec ton ou ta chéri.e.
Si tu aimes ce style d'écriture, tu peux aussi découvrir le succès Liberté 45, du comptable professionnel agréé (CPA) Pierre-Yves McSween qui porte sur la retraite à 45 ans, et surtout comment y accéder.
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Elle investit : bâtir sa richesse grâce à la bourse
Prix : 26,95 $
Autrice : Karman Kong, connue sous le compte Instagram @elleinvestit
Quoi savoir sur le livre : La créatrice de contenu et passionnée des finances personnelles, Karman Kong, partage ici tous ses conseils sur comment bien gérer son argent. Elle aussi a débuté dans cet univers bancaire en pataugeant dans l'inconnu. Elle tente, aujourd'hui, de vulgariser le tout pour te permettre d'atteindre tes objectifs monétaires sans tracas.
Ce livre est parfait pour ceux et celles qui se considèrent comme novice dans le domaine de l'investissement et qui veulent obtenir des trucs faciles à appliquer pour mieux gérer leur portefeuille.
« Enfin un livre sur la finance personnelle avec du contenu pratique et livré de manière authentique! », mentionne Jonathan Durocher, le président de la Financière Banque Nationale, sur la quatrième de couverture.
Pour encore plus de conseils avec un brin d'humour, tu peux suivre le compte Instagram de Karman, @elleinvestit, dans lequel tu trouveras une panoplie d'astuces et de faits étonnants sur tout ce qui entoure l’argent.
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D'endetté à millionnaire : Un plan pour les milléniaux, les jeunes familles et tous ceux qui veulent s'enrichir
Livre de David Descôteaux et Ian Sénéchal.
Amazon
Prix : 19,95 $
Auteurs : David Descôteaux et Ian Sénéchal
Quoi savoir sur le livre : Le chroniqueur et journaliste économique, David Descôteaux, et le président du cabinet de services financiers de VotreConseiller.net, Ian Sénéchal, signent ici cet ouvrage qui s'adresse particulièrement à ceux et celles qui souhaitent sortir de l'endettement. Les auteurs proposent, entre autres, une tonne de tactiques pour mieux manier et comprendre les Régimes d'épargne enregistrés (REER) et les Comptes d'épargne libre d'impôts (CELI).
« Dans ce livre, tu apprendras, entre autres : comment éviter (légalement) de payer des impôts; comment assainir tes finances en t'imposant le Protocole d'austérité; quoi faire, dans l'ordre, si tu fondes une famille; comment t'enrichir grâce au plus gros cadeau du gouvernement : le REEE; les bases de la négociation et comment gérer toi-même tes placements; comment utiliser intelligemment le REER et le CELI, et faire un pied de nez au fisc! », peut-on lire sur la quatrième de couverture. Ça promet!
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Faire plus avec moins
Prix : 27,95 $
Autrice : Vicky Payeur
Quoi savoir sur le livre : L'autrice, Vicky Payeur, était, autrefois, une surconsommatrice aguerrie. Grandement endettée, la jeune femme a décidé de réduire de façon considérable ses dépenses et son rythme de vie afin de reprendre ses finances en main. Elle te présente, ici, ses conseils pour « consommer moins et mieux ». En effet, selon elle, le mode de vie dit « frugal » peut te permettre d'économiser davantage et ainsi atteindre tes aspirations financières.
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Les millionnaires ne sont pas ceux que vous croyez
Prix : 24,95 $
Auteur : Nicolas Bérubé
Quoi savoir sur le livre : On se fait souvent une image stéréotypée des millionnaires. Repas onéreux, vêtements de marques, voitures de luxe et même jet privé, on a l'impression qu'ils et elles vivent dans l'excès et l'abondance. Dans cette publication parue en 2019, Nicolas Bérubé, journaliste pour La Presse+, s'attaque aux mythes entourant les ultra riches.
L'auteur va à la rencontre de Québécois et Québécoises ayant une valeur nette de plus d'un million de dollars afin d'en savoir davantage sur leurs parcours et comment ils et elles ont fait pour arriver avec une telle aisance financière. Tu t'en doutes, les millionnaires ne sont pas nécessairement ceux et celles que tu crois.
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L'immobilier à la portée de tous : les meilleures stratégies pour s'enrichir
Livre de Ghislain Larochelle.
Amazon
Prix : 24,95 $
Auteur : Ghislain Larochelle
Quoi savoir sur le livre : Si tu fais défiler les petites annonces et que tu fouines les pages des sites immobiliers pour trouver la perle rare, ce livre de Ghislain Larochelle pourrait bien être pour toi. L'investisseur immobilier t'offre ses meilleurs conseils pour rentabiliser tes futurs achats. Que ce soit pour acheter une maison, faire un « flip », rénover, bien comprendre le marché ou investir dans un immeuble locatif, tu pourras te sentir mieux outillé.e pour débuter ton projet. L'expert livre également ses recommandations et une panoplie d'informations pertinentes sur son compte Instagram @immofacile.
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La retraite à 40 ans : comment déjouer le système pour atteindre la liberté financière
Prix : 19,95 $
Auteur : Jean-Sébastien Pilotte
Quoi savoir sur le livre : Le Montréalais Jean-Sébastien Pilotte est au début de sa quarantaine et est maintenant retraité depuis ses 39 ans. Difficile à croire, alors que la grande majorité de la population québécoise est coincée dans une routine métro-boulot-dodo.
« J’aime l’argent non pas pour le matériel qu’il me permet d’acheter, mais plutôt pour la liberté qu’il me permet d’atteindre », indique l'auteur dans son blogue Jeune Retraité. Si tu aspires à ce genre de vie, ce livre te proposera plusieurs techniques à suivre pour arriver enfin à la liberté financière, et ce, même avant d'avoir des cheveux blancs.
Jean-Sébastien y explique, entre autres, la stratégie FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) et comment déjouer le système pour le rendre à son avantage.
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Histoires de fric : comment éviter les pires erreurs grâce à celles des autres
Livre de Isabelle Ducas.
Amazon
Prix : 26,95 $
Autrice : Isabelle Ducas
Quoi savoir sur le livre : La journaliste de La Presse+ Isabelle Ducas s'est amusée à récolter les nombreuses histoires de la section « Train de vie » de son média afin que tu ne fasses pas les mêmes erreurs financières que certain.es Québécois et Québécoises. Tu pourras y lire de multiples anecdotes inspirées de ces faits réels qui te permettront de prendre le contrôle de tes finances avec de bonnes bases.
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