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What we know and don't know about the deadly fire at CFB Wainwright
What we know about the fire at CFB Wainwright
THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Ulan
Military officials provided an update Thursday on the investigation into the deadly fire at CFB Wainwright earlier this month.
Officials say four soldiers were killed and dozens more were injured when a fire swept over the base on Oct. 17. On Thursday, officials said 27 injured soldiers remained in various hospitals, with 13 in critical condition. Twelve others have since been released.
The dead have been identified as: Pte. Shaun Farrell, 23, of Prince Albert, Sask.; Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, of North Vancouver; Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, of Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, of Edmonton.
Here's what we know and don't know so far about the events of Oct. 17.
When and how did the fire start?
The fire started "as a result of a training event that was taking place on the anti-grenade launcher range," Brig.-Gen. Vanessa Hanrahan, head of the military police, told Thursday's press briefing. She said the training was "routine."
It's not clear exactly how the fire started. Officials said no gas infrastructure was damaged. Hanrahan told reporters there was "no indication that there was an explosion of any kind that resulted in the fire" or that an explosion was triggered by the fire.
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland of the 1st Canadian Division told reporters that, just before 4 p.m. local time, the fire spread to the pairs range, where soldiers train in pairs to provide covering fire.
Why did they continue training despite the fire?
Military officials wouldn't touch on that question when pressed by reporters Thursday. Hanrahan said it's part of the military police investigation.
"The investigative team is still out there determining all of the decision-making that happened once the fire started, up to and including when they responded to the incident involving the tragedies of today," she said.
"So it would be inappropriate for me to speculate now about all of those decisions and any of the other aspects of the investigation. Once the investigative team has time to review all the evidence and do what it is they need to do, I'll be in a better position to provide accurate information."
How did the fire spread so quickly?
On Thursday, Rutland said high winds contributed to the fire's spread.
"Uncommonly high winds took a pre-existing range fire towards the pairs range and it overtook (the soldiers') position," he said.
"The fire crossed the base fire guard and burned beyond the training base."
Hanrahan said in her opening remarks that firefighters were unable to suppress the fire because it was in a "permanent danger area" of the base. Instead, the fire was being monitored, she said.
Permanent danger areas can be contaminated with unexploded munitions.
What were the soldiers doing at the time of the fire?
Rutland began his part of the briefing by correcting information he had given previously.
"I said the injured soldiers were conducting a section attack range. This was incorrect," Rutland said.
"They were setting up for a pairs range. This is where two soldiers attack a target, taking turns covering and firing for one another. In our training sequence, soldiers re-qualify on their weapon individually, then conduct a pairs range, and then move on to the next progression, which is a section attack range."
Who is leading the investigation and how long will it take?
There are several investigations in the works and it's not clear how long they'll take.
A military-led board of inquiry will look into the broader circumstances and make recommendations.
"Normally, those investigations are done to illustrate systemic issues for us to take actions on," Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan said Thursday.
The military says a board of inquiry is “a fact-finding investigation” to determine how an incident happened and how similar incidents can be prevented in the future.
Rutland said previously the overall investigation would take at least a month, but on Thursday he broadened that timeline to account for the inquiry.
"This underestimated the scope of the upcoming board of inquiry, which will take as long as it takes to examine all facets of the situation," he said.
Hanrahan said that inquiry has not been launched but it will be in the "near future."
Hanrahan said the military police investigation is being conducted "independently from the Canadian Armed Forces chain of command."
"Their role is to establish the facts and determine whether any criminal or service offence may have occurred," she told reporters, adding 30 people are working on the investigation.
"The involvement of the military police should not be interpreted as an indication that an offence has taken place."
She said the investigation's findings will "be provided to Canadians" but did not say how long it will take.
The Alberta Chief Medical Examiner's office, which probes fatalities in the province, is also conducting an investigation. No timeline was provided for that investigation either.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
— With files from Kyle Duggan and Nick Murray in Ottawa
By The Canadian Press | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Carney not worried about closer Turkish ties amid nation's treatment of LGBTQ+ groups
Carney not worried about closer Turkish ties
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he's not overly concerned about Canada seeking closer ties with Turkey amid criticism that the country has infringed on LGBTQ+ rights.
Turkish authorities have targeted multiple LGBTQ+ groups and individuals, detaining dozens of activists, breaking into association offices and raiding popular hangouts.
Last month, Ottawa opted against joining Germany, France and others in condemning Turkey’s crackdown on LGBTQ+ organizations.
Carney told reporters in Istanbul that "engagement is not approval” and that Ottawa believes everyone should be able to live freely, safely and with dignity.
He says Canada raised the human rights concerns during bilateral meetings with Turkish officials but would not say whether he personally spoke to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the issue.
Carney is in Turkey for a three-day trip to strike a new strategic partnership and pursue free trade with the NATO ally.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
By Craig Lord | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Ballots cast on election day in B.C. will be counted by hand, Elections BC says
B.C. election day ballots will be counted by hand
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
It's the last full day of campaigning in British Columbia's election ahead of final voting day Saturday, when most ballots will be counted by hand.
Elections BC has confirmed that votes cast on election day will be tallied manually, in a departure from 2024, when electronic tabulators were used to count paper ballots for the first time in a general election.
That was hailed as a success in Elections BC's report on the polls, but the agency says in a statement that it's going back to a manual count due to "short time frames and complex operational logistics of a snap election."
It says paper ballots cast at advance polling stations and at district electoral offices will be counted with electronic tabulators, and it expects those results to be reported first.
Elections BC also says the election-night count will not include absentee or main-in ballots, which will be tallied at the final count scheduled Nov. 6 to Nov. 10.
Advance voting numbers released Thursday were down more than 11 per cent compared to 2024, bucking a two-decade upward trend.
There were more than 891,000 advance votes cast from Friday to Wednesday, representing about 24 per cent of all registered voters.
That compares to more than one million advance votes cast in 2024, when numbers spiked 49 per cent over the previous election.
Elections BC's report on the 2024 election says electronic tabulation allowed the first preliminary results to be reported within five minutes of polls closing, and 59 per cent of preliminary results to reported within half an hour.
"In past elections first results typically started to be reported around 45 minutes after polls closed," it said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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A TikToker Called Out The Big Ice Cube In Her $18 Cocktail & It Backfired On Her So Fast
"This was highway robbery!"
If you’ve gone out for drinks recently, you know that dropping $18 on a cocktail that’s mostly made of ice is pretty standard.
However, that’s not how TikToker Mabel Martinez felt when her server dropped off her drink with a king ice cube in it, so she turned to social media and put the restaurant on blast.
“This restaurant expected me to pay $18 for a block of ice,” wrote Martinez over top of her video.
“The waiter was super nice, and he ended up giving us a full glass,” Martinez continued in her video caption. “But this was highway robbery! Not okay! Full review coming soon!”
Martinez regularly reviews New York City restaurants on her TikTok, but her cocktail review of Hidden Leaf didn't turn out the way she expected.
TikTok users absolutely dragged her in the comments, with many refusing to give her any room for her big ice cube issue.
One commenter asked: “Damn… you never been out before, huh?”
"Tell us its your 21st birthday without telling us its your 21st birthday," said a second person.
“Sweetie, you’re paying for the 1.5 oz of liquor,” wrote another.
“Yes, that’s how a cocktail is made,” added yet another critic.
Yikes.
Most of the comments called Martinez out for not knowing the basics of how a cocktail is made, which includes putting a big ice cube in the glass to fill it up.
“Comment section isn’t going the way you thought it would,” reads one comment.
One helpful person explained that “you get the same amount of alcohol regardless of the ice” and that other drinks have extra ingredients, making them look fuller.
“I feel like every month; people are discovering cocktails are only 1.5 or 2oz of liquor. The norm across the industry,” wrote another comment.
So the next time your drink comes with a giant ice cube in it, just remember: you're getting the alcohol you paid for, and the ice is just for show!