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Carney to bring his pro-Canada campaign to Edmonton with referendum just days away
Carney to bring pro-Canada campaign to Edmonton
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Prime Minister Mark Carney continues his pro-Canada campaign in Alberta as the clock ticks down to a referendum on whether the province should break up with Confederation.
He is set to visit Red Deer with Premier Danielle Smith today and later rally in Edmonton with the federalist group Forever Canadian.
Carney spoke Thursday at one of the group's rallies in Calgary, telling the crowd of roughly 5,000 that a vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that could lead to years of lost opportunities.
He says frustrations in Alberta are real but that Canada is working in the spirit of co-operative federalism.
Smith has put 10 questions on Monday's referendum, including one on whether Alberta should stay in Canada or hold a second, binding vote on leaving.
Meanwhile, Smith and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will both speak at a conference in Calgary about keeping Alberta in the Confederation fold.
With voters just days away from the polls, those who attended Thursday's rally said Albertans in favour of separation have valid concerns, but Canada is worth fighting for.
"We've got everything we need here and we're stronger together than we are apart," said Bill Chan, who lives in Calgary.
Chan said he heard from Carney's remarks a more "conciliatory" tone in how Ottawa would treat provinces and territories going forward, notably Alberta.
He also said parts of the prime minister's speech hit home.
"What he said about Canada being a country that was built historically by people banding together really stuck out for me," Chan said.
"Because if history is any guide, going separate ways has never proven to be as strong and as impactful as doing things together."
Carney told those gathered that the referendum comes at the worst possible time.
The world has grown more dangerous and divided, he said, and some outside Canada's borders were working to "break us so they can own us."
"At this pivotal moment, Albertans have a choice: to build a stronger Alberta and an even greater Canada to leave for our children or we can burden them with years of deep division and great uncertainty," he said.
"What we need is a decisive result on Monday to settle this question."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.
— With files from Dayne Patterson in Calgary
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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At Toronto event, Margaret Atwood reiterates need for due process in Galloway case
Atwood defends Galloway at Toronto event
As Steven Galloway concluded his testimony in his defamation trial in Vancouver, in Toronto, author Margaret Atwood reiterated her stance as a defender of due process in his case.
Atwood, who was receiving an award at a Journalists for Human Rights event, spoke about her decision to sign an open letter in November 2016 calling for an investigation into how the University of British Columbia handled the Galloway case.
Atwood faced intense backlash and scrutiny from the public after expressing support for the former UBC professor, comparing the online criticism to the French Revolution.
“Luckily, I couldn’t be fired from the university or blacklisted from festivals,” she said. “Or if I was, I didn’t notice.”
She also referred to Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which calls for “the right of every human being to a fair, open and impartial trial.”
She lamented the Canadian media's reluctance to cover the case over the last eight years. Atwood has written opinion articles, most recently in the Vancouver Sun this week, in support of Galloway. She added that legacy media publications face growing pressures and dwindling revenue, which make it difficult to “defend against lawsuits.”
“This has made them more cautious,” she added.
Atwood also worried that social media has made the public more distrustful with a growing tendency to believe anything posted online.
Galloway, known for the award-winning novel “The Cellist of Sarajevo,” is in the middle of a defamation trial against several people who he alleges published unproven allegations of sexual assault.
One of the defendants includes a former student, known as A.B., who made sexual assault allegations against him that later spread on social media. Galloway was fired from UBC shortly after rumours of the accusations spread in late 2015.
He was a tenured professor and the former chair of UBC’s creative writing program.
A report produced by a former judge for the university concluded that the accusations against Galloway were unsubstantiated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Sadeen Mohsen | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Canada must diversify trade away from the U.S. for security reasons: Freeland
Canada must diversify trade for security: Freeland
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland says it's important for national security reasons that Canada do everything it can to diversify trade away from the United States.
During a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Thursday, Freeland said it's dangerous to deepen or maintain a close economic relationship with a partner who "openly says they want to take you over."
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly mused about turning Canada into the 51st state and, while he ruled out using military force to annex the country in January 2025, has said he would consider using "economic force."
Even if the U.S. had a president who believed in free trade with Canada, Freeland says being dependent on any one partner is "not a great idea."
Freeland's new book, “Unreliable Boyfriend,” was released this week and is part international analysis about the evolving role of the United States and part political memoir.
Its title is a reference to a comment she made on an American talk show in February, when she said the U.S. is "not a very reliable boyfriend right now."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Catherine Morrison | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Un ours noir a été aperçu dans les rues d'une municipalité de Lanaudière
La Ville appelle à la prudence.
Des résident.es d'une petite municipalité de Lanaudière ont eu toute une surprise durant leur lunch alors qu'iels ont vu un ours noir roder dans la ville. L'animal aurait été aperçu dans les environs du rang de l'Église et du domaine du Villageois, à Saint-Liguori, vers midi, le 12 juillet 2022.
Dans une publication sur Facebook, la Municipalité a tenu à rappeler aux citoyen.nes les consignes de sécurité et les gestes à prendre afin de diminuer les risques : « Soyez prudents dans les secteurs boisés de la municipalité. Assurez-vous de faire du bruit pour signaler votre présence. »
Contacté par Narcity Québec un employé du bureau municipal a affirmé que l'ours n'aurait pas été revu depuis hier. Bien que les agent.es de la faune aient été contacté.es par la Ville, ceux-ci et celles-ci ne se sont pas encore déplacé.es sur les lieux au moment d’écrire ces lignes.
Selon le ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, il y aurait 70 000 ours noirs sur le territoire de la province. Ce mammifère est connu comme un animal craintif, à priori rarement agressif, mais très glouton. Il ne faut donc surtout pas laisser de la nourriture à des endroits qui lui serait facile d'accès.
Voici les consignes de prévention du ministère afin de diminuer les risques d'attirer un ours noir :
La Ville de Saint-Liguori invite les citoyen.nes à communiquer toute information utile pour signaler l'animal par téléphone au bureau municipal, soit au 450 753-3570 poste 0.