'Comfort kills dreams': Family says soldier killed in base fire was living his dream
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.Â
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.Â
"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.
Raccoon rabies continues to spread in Quebec as government reports third infected cat
Another cat has been infected with raccoon rabies in Quebec, marking the third confirmed case in a cat this year.Â
The infection was detected on Sept. 25 in the town of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, in the Montérégie region.
The province says the owner and a veterinarian were exposed to the cat's rabies and treated.
The government's latest numbers show 313 confirmed cases of raccoon rabies in Quebec this year.
Officials previously reported two cases in cats in late June.Â
The government has run multiple vaccination programs, including vaccine bait distribution and "trap-vaccinate-release" operations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
By Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Ottawa tells its diplomats not to meet with U.S. midterm candidates
Canadian diplomats were directed this week not to meet with or attend events with candidates in the U.S. midterm elections.
Glen Linder, assistant deputy minister for the Americas at Global Affairs Canada, sent a memo midday Tuesday to members of the foreign service in the United States.
The memo, which was obtained by The Canadian Press, says if diplomats find themselves "in the same physical space" as a candidate or elected official, they should avoid being photographed or having their name or position appear in any public communications materials.
The memo says those instructions are similar to those in place during election periods in Canada, when public servants are expected to avoid contact with elected officials except in exceptional circumstances.
The memo comes as the Trump administration accuses Canadian politicians of interfering in American elections.
While Prime Minister Mark Carney has disputed the suggestion of Canadian interference, the memo says that, given "heightened sensitivity," the department must take a "very risk-averse approach."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.