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Health ministers set to meet in Winnipeg after Ottawa announces funding extension
Canada's health ministers set to meet in Winnipeg
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Canadian health ministers meet in Winnipeg today after the federal government announced it would extend funding for mental health, addictions and home care by one year.
Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel made the announcement on social media late Wednesday, saying the extension represents $1.2 billion in funding.
The existing funding was set to expire next year.
Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara is to host provincial and territorial counterparts today, and Michel is to co-chair Friday's meeting.
Provincial health ministers had said they were worried about "profound and negative" effects on patients and health-care jobs if the federal funding agreements weren't renewed in this year's budget.
Provinces and territories also raised concerns about the future of the Canada Health Transfer as the federal budget states the minimum growth rate will drop to three per cent from five per cent in 2028.
Asagwara says after meeting with Michel that she has shared the unanimous concerns of health ministers and is keen to hear more on federal health funding.
"I am thrilled to be able to say that I feel Minister Michel has been listening," Asagwara said Wednesday.
"I look forward to hearing some news from the minister on this, we all do."
Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, said funding commitments should be a priority.
She said the federal government can't lose sight of the importance of health care as it ramps up spending on defence and other priorities.
"There has to be a just balance, and we have to see our health-care system as an investment, as a human rights issue, and as proud Canadians, it's the core of our fabric, and we need to hear our prime minister speak more loudly about it."
The Canadian Medical Association said in a release Wednesday that the meeting is an important opportunity for the federal government to provide certainty on funding to provinces and territories.
The association said strong and reliable federal funding to maintain universal health care is foundational to growing Canada's economy.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Ian Bickis | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Supreme Court hears challenge of law clearing path for Ontario Place redevelopment
Top court hears challenge of Ontario Place law
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
The Supreme Court of Canada plans to hear arguments today from a coalition challenging the constitutionality of legislation that smooths the way for major changes at Ontario Place.
The case unfolding in Canada's top court could reverberate far beyond the Toronto waterfront park that opened in 1971.
Over the years, the theme park featured a spherical theatre that showed movies on a huge screen, children's play areas, a revolving concert stage and several pavilions suspended above the water.
The provincial government wants to redevelop Ontario Place to include an elaborate spa operated by a private company, a relocated Ontario Science Centre, revamped play and shoreline areas, a parking facility and a provincial police detachment.
The coalition Ontario Place Protectors challenged the province's Rebuilding Ontario Place Act on the basis that it insulates state action from scrutiny by the courts and therefore violates the Constitution.
The coalition also argued that exemptions from environmental and heritage laws and municipal noise regulations amount to a breach of public trust.
An Ontario judge dismissed the application in 2024 and a challenge of the ruling in the provincial Court of Appeal was also unsuccessful.
Writing on behalf of a unanimous Court of Appeal, Justice Grant Huscroft said there was no doubt that the provincial government's decision to redevelop Ontario Place is strongly opposed by a number of concerned citizens and organizations.
Political opposition to the plan has not swayed the government and the coalition has turned to the court in an effort to stop it, Huscroft said.
"But there is no basis for the court to do so. The court is not an alternative forum for resolving political grievances. The only legitimate question for the court is whether the impugned provisions of ROPA violate the law or the Constitution," he wrote.
"They do not, and the appeal must be dismissed."
In January, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the Ontario Place Protectors' case.
The coalition says provincial superior courts have historical and inherent jurisdiction to review laws and government actions protected under section 96 of the Constitution Act, 1867, and to provide effective remedies when governments do not respect the limits on their powers.
The coalition says the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act's scope is unprecedented and appears to violate section 96 by removing the essential core powers of the courts.
It argues the legislation severely limits or entirely eliminates the ability of courts to hold Crown officials accountable through declaratory actions, damage awards and injunctions when they have acted beyond their powers.
The coalition is also seeking to have the doctrine of public trust acknowledged as an unwritten constitutional principle rooted in English common law and inherited by Canada.
It argues the doctrine of public trust maintains that natural and cultural assets are essential to public welfare and must be safeguarded by the state in its role as trustee.
Margie Zeidler, the daughter of Ontario Place architect Eberhard Zeidler, remembers visiting the park as a child.
"It was extraordinary. It was a public place," she said in an interview. "You could have a picnic in the forest. You could watch films at Cinesphere. You could watch any musical performance at the forum."
Zeidler, a member of the Ontario Place Protectors coalition, says the provincial government's actions have made the fight about more than just the historic theme park. "It became more, not about Ontario Place, but about, wait a minute, what democracy are we living in here?" she said. "I didn't know governments could do that."
In their written submission to the Supreme Court, the Crown and the Ontario attorney general say the case should be dismissed.
The immunity provided by the provincial legislation does not go as far as the coalition alleges, the submission says: "(The act) does not make Ontario Place a lawless zone."
Rather, it immunizes the Crown, its servants and agents from civil causes of action arising from specific circumstances, the submission says.
The Crown and attorney general also urge the court to reject the claim that the legislation is invalid because of the doctrine of public trust.
"The novel doctrine articulated by the Appellant is not an unwritten constitutional principle, and even if such a doctrine existed in law, which is denied, there is no evidence in the record that could warrant applying this far-reaching new doctrine to Ontario Place," the submission says.
The case has attracted submissions from interveners, including several provinces, First Nations, civil liberties groups and environmental organizations.
The Supreme Court often reserves its decisions until a later date, meaning a ruling in the case might not come until next year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Jim Bronskill | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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'Hardly surprising' many Alberta business leaders staying mum on separation: expert
Unsurprising many CEOs mum on referendum: expert
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The silence from many Alberta business leaders on the upcoming provincial referendum comes as no surprise to one corporate leadership expert.
Monday's vote includes 10 questions: one on whether Alberta should remain in Canada or move toward a binding separation referendum; five on immigration and four on constitutional matters.
Richard Leblanc, a professor of governance, law and ethics at York University, says there's a tradition in Canada for CEOs to stay in their lanes and not risk alienating shareholders or employees by taking a political stand.
But Leblanc says there may be times a company's board of directors agrees that a CEO should speak out on a matter that affects the well-being of the business, as Alberta taking steps toward a potential split from Canada arguably would.
A handful of leaders at big, publicly traded companies are among the more than 70 signatories to an open letter from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce warning of the economic fallout of separation, while the top brass at many prominent firms have stayed mum.
A few top executives have made their views known: Imperial Oil's John Whelan has spoken in favour of Alberta and Canada sticking together while Atco Ltd.'s Nancy Southern has warned of the disruption a split would cause.
"It's hardly surprising that a majority of CEOs are not speaking up," Leblanc said. "There's more to be lost than gained, generally, by speaking up about a political matter."
Some corporations have former prime ministers, premiers and cabinet ministers as directors on their boards, who can advise on when and how to weigh in on politics, Leblanc noted.
Atco's board includes former Alberta premier Jason Kenney, who has been a fervent voice in favour of the province staying in Confederation, as well as former federal cabinet minister Rona Ambrose.
Leblanc said customers and employees may have "legitimate expectations" that a CEO take a public stand on something that could affect the business, though getting board sign-off on the message is no easy feat.
"Sometimes the risk of not doing something can be far greater than doing something and dealing with the blowback."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
Companies in this story: (TSX:ACO.X) (TSX:IMO)
By Lauren Krugel | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Loi de l'attraction: c'est quoi et comment l'utiliser pour avoir une vie de rêve
Le Secret. Le fameux secret. C'est quoi c*liss.
Popularisée en 2006 à la sortie du livre de Rhonda Byrne, l'expression «le secret» désigne tout simplement un mode de vie à adopter pour la rendre meilleure.
À lire aussi:
Plusieurs personnes pensent à tort qu'il s'agit d'un mouvement ésotérique et que les gens qui mentionnent la loi de l'attraction sont dans des sectes. Humm, non.
La loi de l'attraction, tout comme la loi de la gravité, est une réelle loi décrite par plusieurs scientifiques (comme Newton et Einstein) comme étant ce «qui explique l’influence de la matière et de l’énergie sur le mouvement des corps et des astres». Elle s'appuie sur le principe que tout émet une fréquence et une énergie.
En d'autres mots: si tu es négatif dans la vie, ton énergie est négative et tu as tendance à vivre des moments de m*rde. Si, tout au contraire, tu dégages une énergie positive, ton quotidien sera des plus agréables.
Dans le livre Le Secret, l'auteur explique qu'on peut demander ce que l'on veut à «l'Univers» et qu'on doit y faire confiance en agissant comme si nous l'avions déjà reçu.
Cette méthode est assez controversée, puisqu'elle s'appuie sur la pensée magique. En suivant ces conseils, quelqu'un qui ne travaille pas et qui n'achète jamais de billet de loterie pourrait souhaiter devenir très riche et tout à coup gagner le gros lot comme par magie. C'est assez improbable et peu proactif comme façon de faire.
C'est en écoutant plusieurs vidéos sur YouTube (voir ci-bas) que j'ai mieux compris comment utiliser la loi de l'attraction. Voici un compte rendu des étapes à suivre pour l'utiliser, et ainsi changer ta vie pour le mieux:
1) Décrire ta vie de rêve sur une feuille. Tu ferais quoi comme travail? Comment t'habillerais-tu? Avec qui serais-tu en couple? Etc. Ensuite, sur une autre page, décris en quelques points ta vie actuelle. Puis, compare les 2. S'il n'y a aucun lien entre les 2 textes, il est temps de changer quelque chose. Si au contraire, les 2 vont dans le même sens, il y a de bonnes chances que tu utilises déjà la loi de l'attraction sans le savoir.
2) Pour bien fonctionner, la loi stipule que tu dois complètement cesser de focaliser sur tout ce que tu n'aimes pas, c'est-à-dire, arrêter tout chialage inutile. Plutôt que de perdre ton temps à commenter sur tout ce qui te gosse dans ta vie, comme le fait de ne pas avoir de vacances ou que ton chum t'a déçue, tu dois te concentrer sur les belles choses et ce que tu veux dans l'avenir pour commencer à attirer davantage cela dans ta vie. Lorsque tu changes ton focus, ta vie change en même temps sans même que tu modifies quoi que ce soit dans ton quotidien, simplement parce que tes pensées influencent tes actions.
Il s'agit simplement d'un switch de perception: passer de l'angoisse en pensant simplement au problème, à l'action proactive.
Exemple: «Ça va mal avec mon chum, on n'a pas assez de points en commun» (en stressant, angoissant, pleurant) --> Planifier une soirée de date avec mon chum pour dresser une liste d'activités qu'on aime tous les 2 pour finir l'été en beauté.
99% des gens ne sont pas capables d'appliquer la loi de l'attraction dans leur vie, car c'est TRÈS difficile pour l'esprit humain de focaliser sur le positif. Évidemment, c'est tout à fait normal d'avoir des petites rechutes de négativisme parfois, mais il est important de s'en rendre compte et de «changer de fréquence» immédiatement en cherchant le positif dans la situation donnée, ou bien simplement choisir de ne pas se laisser affecter.
Pourquoi ça marche? Parce que suivre cette loi te donne confiance en toi et t'aide à combattre des insécurités. En ne vivant plus dans la peur et l'angoisse, tu prends naturellement plus de risques et des décisions qui te mènent vers une éventuelle vie de rêve. Aussi, puisque ton quotidien est rempli de joie, de gratitude et de petits bonheurs, tu te retrouves déjà avec une vie de rêve, qui est finalement ton ancienne vie version 2.0.
En arrêtant de stresser parce que tu n'as pas de cash, tu finis par rencontrer l'ami d'un ami qui t'offre une job dans un nouveau bar dans lequel tu vas faire plein d'argent. Tu aurais peut-être rencontrer cette personne de toute façon à un moment dans ta vie, mais tu aurais probablement dit non par peur de te jeter dans le vide avec une nouvelle job, dans le confort de ton sofa.
Donc si ton rêve c'est d'être payée à voyager partout le monde, prends confiance en toi immédiatement et pars-toi un blogue/ page Instagram et fait tout ce qui est possible pour arriver à tes fins.
Voici quelques références:
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