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Some government websites still down in response to security risk
Some federal sites still down after security risk
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
Some federal government websites are still out of commission as Ottawa takes precautions against a global security risk.
Governments and corporations worked throughout the night on urgent security updates after the AI-assisted discovery of vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language vital to 70 per cent of websites globally.
The office of the federal government's chief information officer says security updates are being applied and some government websites may be temporarily unavailable or experience service disruptions while the measures are being implemented.
The office says work is underway to restore access as quickly and securely as possible.
There is no indication that any federal systems have been compromised, the office says.
Artificial intelligence agents helped uncover the vulnerabilities and OpenAI says it has led a coalition of researchers, security providers and others to address vulnerabilities in PHP over the past two months.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
— With files from The Associated Press
By Catherine Morrison | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Quebec Superior Court hears arguments to suspend Montreal bylaw banning insults
Court hears Montreal bylaw injunction request
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Lawyers are asking Quebec Superior Court to suspend a recently-adopted bylaw banning insults against employees of the city of Montreal, including police officers.
The bylaw prohibits insults, harassment, threats, abuse and intimidation, as well as offensive and aggressive behaviour.
Justice Eleni Yiannakis heard arguments from lawyers representing an association for progressive jurists and the St-Michel legal clinic Thursday morning.
Lawyer Sibel Ataogul argued the bylaw is too broad and encroaches on fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression, and is against public interest.
Lawyer Dardia Garcelle Joseph argued that the bylaw will mainly apply to interactions with police and can lead to serious harm to those already marginalized.
Lawyers for the City of Montreal are expected to argue in the afternoon.
Yiannakis stressed that she will rule only on the request for the injunction and not on the constitutionality of the bylaw.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
By Erika Morris | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Korchinski-Paquet's mother makes new allegation against police at coroner's inquest
Korchinski-Paquet inquest grapples with new claim
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
A coroner's inquest into the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet is scrambling to find a way forward after the Toronto woman's mother unexpectedly made a new allegation against police officers during her testimony this morning.
Korchinski-Paquet fell from her 24th-floor balcony in the late afternoon of May 27, 2020, while police officers were in the west-end apartment she shared with several family members.
As she described her memories of that day, Claudette Beals told the inquest this morning that she saw officers push her daughter toward the balcony, prompting lawyers for several of the parties to raise concerns in the absence of the jury about previously undisclosed evidence.
Among them were lawyers representing the officers at the scene, who said their clients weren't given a chance to respond to the allegation when they testified earlier this week.
The presiding coroner has called a recess so that counsel can discuss how to proceed.
The inquest has heard Korchinski-Paquet had a history of seizures from epilepsy, often followed by erratic and aggressive behaviour, and had experienced two seizures earlier in the day before police were called over a disturbance involving knives.
One of the province's police watchdogs later cleared the officers of wrongdoing in the fatal fall, which it said happened as she was trying to move from her apartment's balcony to a neighbour's.
The inquest's scope includes how first responders are informed and trained about epilepsy but is not meant to examine the various watchdog investigations into the case.
"There's lots of good things to explore about epilepsy, about public support for families, about awareness of postictal delirium, about police response and how those two can intermingle," presiding coroner Dr. David Cameron said before the recess.
"We've explored lots of great things during this inquest and everyone has worked really well together ... and now we've got a bit of a problem and we'll have to work through it."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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